What you let go
by AlexiaM87
Summary: Betrayed by her country,denied knight training,but she had another life before that she can return to. Now she is in trouble and must rely on the Kingdom that betrayed her to help her out. KD Complete with a surprise ending. Look for sequel.TY & cake.
1. A Plea for Help

1A/N: This is a story about if Kel hadn't been able to stay and train as a page. But she had a life that nobody knew about before she went to train and she has no problem going back to. Kel doesn't make an appearance till the third chapter. I own nothing. It all belongs to the great and all powerful Tamora Pierce. (I am just so jealous she thought of it first.)

What You Let Go

Jonathan of Conte the King of Tortall sat in his throne room looking at the two Shang that stood before him. He hadn't heard what they had to say yet but the fact that they had called an audience with him was still strange. Yet it was a pleasant change from the war meetings. Even though the war was slowing down now thanks to the mysterious disappearance of the Scanran's killing devises there was still fighting and a lot of it. Once all of his advisors that could come were seated he motioned to the Shang to continue.

The oldest stepped forward. He was a man in his early fifties with brown hair and even darker brown eyes. He wore sensible fighting clothes and carried no visible weapons. "I am the Shang Panther and this is the Shang Raven." He pointed to the man on his left. "We have come to ask your countries assistance in retrieving one of our own warriors from King Maggur's dungeons." he said simply.

When he supplied nothing else Jonathan raised an eyebrow. "Why should we help you. Your kind have done us a great service before and still do and for that we are grateful but I must have a good reason to send warriors behind enemy lines."

This time it was the other shang that replied. He was much younger in his mid twenties. His muscles were visible through his loose tunic. He had a raven embroidered on the collar of his shirt. His dark hair and cold blue eyes that were now directed towards Jonathan made him shiver.

"We come here on the behalf of all the Shang community. Our numbers are not great enough otherwise we wouldn't have bothered with asking you. We need your help rescuing the Shang Griffin. She has done more for your county than you know and you owe her this. In my opinion you owe her much more but this is the only thing we want from you."

"I have heard tales about the Shang Griffin but I have never met her. What has she done for our country that we should owe her so much?" Jonathan asked.

"She is the one who got rid of Balyce the Gallan for you and his killing machines. She is the one who returned all your refugees that he had stolen from you safely. And she is the one that King Maggur hunted down and captured to pay for it." The Shang Raven spat out the words like they were poison.

King Jonathan sat back in his chair he glanced to his left at his spy master Barron George of Pirates Swoop. The Barron nodded his head. They were telling the truth. Tortall owed them something but he couldn't just send his whole army at Scanra full force for one person. "You said that the whole Shang community is willing to help? Who is this women that we owe her so much? Why would she not come to us for help when she went into Scanra to kill Balyce?"

The Raven met his eyes again. "Why would she go to you for help when you betrayed her once before."

Jonathan sat up in his chair. What were they talking about? "Please explain."

This time it was the Shang Panther who spoke. "It is a long and confusing story but I feel that it must be told for you to understand the gravity of the situation. I oversee the school that the young Shang come to when they are first brought into training. It has been located in the Yamani Islands for some years now and it was there that I first met Keladry of Mindelan. She showed so much potential and she was only three. She worked hard and was soon training with the older children. After being in training for five years the children were took on a trip to show them how other countries trained and fought. While we were in Tusaine Keladry became fascinated with being a Knight. After a long struggle with herself she asked her parents to send a letter to the King of Tortall her home land asking if she could participate in page training. Her parents got a letter back saying that she would be put on probation and then tested to see if she could stay. Like I said Keladry was one of our most promising students so we told her that if she wasn't allowed to stay that she could come back after a year and continue her training. I advised her that she should keep her training so far a secret. She didn't want to be any more different than she already was. After a year of training she was deemed unsuitable for the life of a Tortallan Knight. She returned to us and continued her training. She was made a full Shang when she was Seventeen two years ago. When she went through our version of the ordeal she was given a task. The way she explained it to me was that the god that ruled our ordeal ruled over that of all countries. Some have lost their chambers of have stopped using them. But somewhere in every country there is one. The god gave her a mission. She had to stop what Balyce the Gallen was doing. That there paths would cross and when they did she would put a stop to it. When she heard that there were refugee camps along your borders she knew how wrong it was to put them there and went to protect them. She knew they were just feeding grounds for the killing machines. The rewason she didn't go to you was because she didn't thin that you would believe her. I admit it took me months to believe her. She took about twenty shang with her and waited until she had news that a fort had been overrun and followed the refugees into Scanra. She recruited the villagers from the fief that Balyce had overrun and along with her Shang stormed the castle. She got out all of the refugees and killed both Balyce and Stenmun Kinslayer. She then burnt the castle to the ground and let noone take anything from it. She took your refugees back to the Islands with her and had their memories of her and the escape erased. She then sent them back on a boat to Port Legan. After that she lived in peace for a year until King Maggur had her captured." The man stopped and then continued. "After she left page training to continue with us something happened to her. She went missing for a week and when she finally showed up in the islands she didn't remember anything about Tortall. She didn't remember having parents or ever going to train as a page. She just continued as if she never left. She doesn't even remember what happened to her that week. Noone knows."

After he finished the room was deathly quiet. Jonathan had gone numb halfway through the story. Everyone had thought that Keladry had been killed by a conservative. Her family hadn't known what happened to her and he could still remember the day that they had buried an empty casket in her honor. Piers and Ilane had never said anything about her shang training. The letter that had been sent with her request for training had said that she had some training in the Yamani Islands. They had took that as what the court ladies used and nothing else. His mind was made up. But he had to see if the rest of his council agreed with him.

"Uncle Gareth?"

"Yes, we should help her."

"Gary?"

"I agree with my father."

"Raoul?"

"Yes."He let out a big sigh. This shouldn't have happened and he knew it.

"Alanna?"

"Yes."She replied. Her voice shook with rage. Her eyes were like boiling pots of purple dye and

her cheeks were flushed with rage.

"George?"

He shook his head yes and started to murmur something into Alanna's ear. He had perfected calming her down years ago but nothing he could say would calm her today.

"Myles?"

Myles remembered the soft spoken girl that he had once taught as a page. She was smart and quick witted but how long could a person last in Maggur's dungeons?"Yes."

"Numair?"

"Yes."

"Baird?"

"Yes." Baird couldn't help thinking of his son Nealan. He and Keladry had been best friends and it had taken him years to get over her death. What would this mean to him? Could he handle it?

"Wyldon?"

"Yes."

"And I agree. Shang you have our answer. We will help. If you will excuse us I will call you later when we are making our plans." Jonathan replied

The two shang bowed their heads and walked from the room.

As soon as they left Alanna exploded in a tirade of cursing. She got up and strode over to Lord Wyldon. "So she wasn't fit to be a warrior was she? Guess she proved you wrong. We could have had her on our side and she wouldn't be where she is today. Look at what you let go."

Lord Wyldon sat still and never moved a muscle even thought the Lioness was right in his face poking his chest and spitting on him. When she stopped ranting to take a breath he stood up and looked at the King.

"Sire, Please take this as my official notice. I am no longer going to continue with my post as training master. Keladry was a mistake. She was the best page that I had a hand in producing. And if that is true then I have no right to this position since I did everything to make her life harder and then forced her to leave after she proved herself better than the boys." He bowed to the king and left the room.

Jonathan was shocked to the core. Noone moved for ten minutes they sat there letting everything that had happened sink in. Finally Jonathan looked at George. "I want Pier and Ilane here as soon as possible." To the rest of the room he said "We need to take a break to let this settle in. Think about a plan and we will meet back here in two bells. Do not tell anyone yet we have to figure out what to do first."

So what did you think? I was bored of the stories were Kel comes back and is the best shang ever when she was only training for five years and she is the most beautiful girls ever, and everyone falls in love with her. This will eventually be a Kel/Dom thing but that will take awhile. I think that I spelled all the names right but I have the stupidest software it can't tell the difference between there and their. Anyway, this should be updated again soon so stay tuned.


	2. Plans and Actions

1A/N: I own nothing except the random character that shows up. It all belongs to the wonderful Tamora Pierce whom I worship with every breath.

I promised myself that I would update after ten reviews but I got those in the first day so it took a little longer. Thanks for the reviews everyone.

Luna Dust: You are my first reviewer I love you!!!!

Crazy Lady Knight: Thanks for the review. And here is the new chapter didn't want to keep you waiting :)

Poopie: I must say that is a very original name. And I agree I love those stories to, they are my guilty pleasure. I just can't help reading them.

Eclipsa: I love you're Kel/Dom stories!!! Glad you like mine. I promise it will be Kel/Dom put I think that will be in the sequel.

Escape5:I totally agree hardship is life it makes the stories more believable. Plus there are so many emotions flying around and I can twist them in my own evil ways.

Bluefire-Redwater: Will do.

Shamrockgirl07: Thanks I'm glad you liked it.

SaraE7191: Thanks for the spelling things. I suck at spelling and like I said I have the stupidest program. Please keep reading.

Do You Know Emily Davison: I don't know her. Is she you?

sarra's wildchild: Thanks for the review. Keep reading.

Amulata: I love twists. I also love the Beautiful Kel stories. I read them all the time. I agree that Alanna should yell at Jon. I added some of that into the story but I wanted to get to the Kel part so I made it short. But you can imagine it for me. Just think of all the pain she could cause him. (Grins evilly and thinks of making a spin off.)

It had been two hours and Alanna still was not happy. She knew that back in her apartments maids were cleaning up the mess that she had made when she threw furniture and vases full of flowers at the wall. Everyone would be gossiping about what it was that had made her so mad. They can attribute it to Wyldon resigning she thought. Noone had to know about Keladry. She sat down at the long table between her husband and the King. Jon smiled at her and that was the last straw.

After Keladry's burial she didn't speak to the king for three years. Then the war started and she had to. She loved her country no matter what a prat the king was. "You think I am letting you get out of this that easily _Your Highness_?" she asked. Jonathan looked down at his hands and hung his head. He doesn't get to feel sorry for this she thought. He wasn't the one who lost a daughter or a legacy to a conservative pig. She looked down at her scarred hands and smiled. She then put her right hand on Jonathan's knee and sent a shock through it. He jumped out of his chair so fast that he knocked the chair as well as a servant filling up his cup to the ground. The heavy pitcher landed on his chest and spilled it's contents all over his blue and silver tunic. Alanna didn't even turn around she was to busy thinking. He wasn't like this when they were younger. He wouldn't have let himself be pushed around by people then. He was the one pushing people around. We all change I guess she thought.

Wyldon walked in as she was thinking and had sat down at the table across from her. She opened her mouth to begin yelling at him again but he beat her to it.

"Alanna I don't want to hear it. I know I made a mistake and I am going to do whatever I can right now to get Keladry out of there safely." He truly looked sorry. He met Alanna's gaze with one that could only be described as regret. Shw nodded to him and her mood changed. This was a side of Wyldon she had never seen before.

Jonathan now covered in liquid called order to the meeting and all talking stopped. He looked to the shang Raven. "What exactly do you know about where she is and how she got there? And please tell me, I didn't catch your name."

"It's Gaven. In the islands we call Keladry, Kayolina it is the Yamani version of her name and what she goes by now. Kayolina was supposed to be traveling from the Capitol of the Islands to our training facility with two novice Shang. When they didn't show up we went looking for them. We found the novices in some bushes about an hour away. They had fought alongside of Kayolina but had been taken out easily. From the tracks and mess that had been left in the area it looked as if Kayolina and the two novices had been ambushed. She had tried to protect them but was outnumbered. From the horse tracks we guessed there where about fifteen Scanrans. We know it was them because we found Scanran coins and buttons as the site and in a shallow grave twenty feet away seven dead Scanrans." He paused and took a sip of the juice in front of him. It was apple spiced with cinnamon. When he continued it was in a quieter tone. "Kayolina and I have been best friends since she was four and I was seven. She was young and I was from a noble line so nobody wanted to be friends with us. When she started to train with us older kids the teachers assigned me to watching her. When she was younger she would always run around and get lost and of course since I was in charge of her I would get in trouble. So I had a charm made that would bring me exactly to where she was. I found it and along with another of our close friends who is a black robe mage followed its path. It ended in Scanra at the capitol Hamrkeng. We have informants inside and we know she is there. But about two days after we got there the signal stopped. Kaven, the black robe, said that someone had destroyed it. That was two weeks ago."

"Who are your informants?" George asked.

"We just have one, my half brother Janek. He is a soldier and guards the castle. As soon as we entered the city I talked to him. He informed me that she was in the dungeons and that he would look after her as best he could. He also told me that many of the Scanran soldiers can't stand Maggur. The way he deals with them is inhumane and a secret revolution has started against him. He united the clans but they are working against him behind his back. The mutiny is small but they will grow. Especially if they see that the Shang are against them. And that Maggur can't keep his prized prisoner." Gaven looked at George. He didn't know if the Tortallans had known about this or not.

George was surprised. "We have had some news of this but nothing definite. Is the black robe you are talking about Kaven Miriland?" Gaven nodded yes. "I've heard of him. He is the youngest black robe ever is he not? Only fifteen when he took the test. Remarkable. I think that it is obvious that we have to get some people in the dungeon with her. If she is hurt then she needs to be healed and may have to be carried out when the time comes. It must be a powerful healer because they probably won't be treated to well in the dungeons. The person has to be able to fight also but they can't be someone who is well known. They have to be worth a ransom so they won't be killed if their true identity is found out but they can't be to important. Any ideas?" George looked around the room. Everyone was thinking and was silent for a moment.

"I think I have an idea but listen to me first before you say no. I think my former squire Neal would be good for it. He is an excellent healer I know because I trained him. He can fight because I trained him in that also. George you showed him a lot of useful things about spy work and secrecy. He isn't to important but as the heir to Queenscove he is worth something. Plus he used to know her. Maybe she will recognize him."

"That's a good choice but I would rather two people go. Incase something happens to one or they get split up we have a better chance." George replied. He was proud of his wife she had chosen a good person. He knew Neal and thought he could handle it. He had grown up after Keladry was presumed dead.

Baird in the meantime was arguing with himself. Should he risk his nephew as well as his son. Finally the part that loved his kingdom won. "What about his cousin Domitan of Masbolle. He is a commander in the Kings Own. They look enough alike that if they were questioned they could say they were cousins and noone would argue it. Dom has a strong head and can keep Neal calm."

Raoul was shaking his head in agreement. "I think it is a good idea. Dom's smart. I promoted him to second in command after Flyndon left the Own to marry. I would like to see how he does on his own."

Jonathan looked to George. "What next. We have our people how do we get in there?"

Two days later two men were thrown into the dungeons at Hamrkeng. They hadn't had a good reason to be carrying weapons and traveling without a passport so they were arrested. To many people that would have been bad but for these two it was just part of their mission. The mission was to find Kayolina the Shang Griffin and keep her safe until Daine in the form of a rodent would come and tell them that the castle was being stormed by the Shang and Tortallans.

Dom turned around and looked at the dungeon cell that they had been placed in. When his eyes adjusted to the light he saw about ten people in the cell with them. The cell was more of a large room with benches that covered all the stone walls. The door was half wood and half metal bars. There was one window but it was at the top of the wall and only the width of Dom's forearm and as tall as his hand. The air smelled strongly of urine and mildew. He nodded to the people in the room with him and dragged Neal over to a bench. After they sat a man approached them.

"The names Makurus, but you can just call me Mak. Why are you in here?" Dom couldn't tell in the dark but he looked to be about forty years old. He had a scraggly beard and bushy eyebrows. His hair was cut short and in the dim light it was hard to tell the color.

"My cousin here misplaced our traveling papers and since we didn't have a good reason as to why we were traveling with weapons this is where we ended up." Dom replied. "And you?"

"I stood up to the soldiers that were taking our food. They killed my wife and daughters and put me in here to kill later. That was three months ago." Mak sat down on the bench next to Neal and leaned around him to talk to Dom. "You could be in here forever. Some of these people have been here longer than I have and some come in and leave the next day. I guess it is all in who you know. The guards that we have lately have been pretty good. They give us our food and water and let us alone. Some can be nasty."

Dom decided that this man was a good person to question. "Do they keep women and men in the same cells?"

"Yes, they don't care as long as we are out of their way."

"Are there any other cells around here?" Dom asked innocently.

"There were but they caved in about two weeks ago. They shoved everyone that was still alive in here except for one person."

"Who was that?"Dom asked.

Mak pointed to the wall opposite them. Dom could just make out a set of bars about eye level. "It was a young girl not much older than my own daughter about eighteen. They carried her down the hall and she was kicking and screaming the whole time. Got a good one in one of the guards sacks if yah know what I mean. Every other day they take her away some days she comes back fine others she comes back and can't even stand they've beaten her so much." He paused and looked at Dom's face. "Is she the one that you are looking for?"

"We'll see. If she is who I think she is then she is my betrothed. Kicking and screaming sounds just like her." Dom lied. He and Neal had decided that if anyone had guessed that they were looking for her that they would say that she was his fiancé. "Is she there now?"He asked.

"No. They should bring her back soon though. She was out of there before we woke up this morning." Mak leaned back against the moldy wall and closed his eyes.

Dom looked over to Neal and nodded his head. This has to be her Dom thought. If not then she was killed two weeks ago when the cells caved in. He got up and walked over to the bars in the wall. All he could see was a pile of moldy blankets in the corner. The room was smaller then theirs, it was more like a closet. It had a solid metal door with a small hole on the bottom. There were no windows. Dom motioned Neal over.

"Does that door have magic protecting it?" he asked.

Neal frowned. "Yes. So does ours and that window. The one between the rooms doesn't have any."

Dom and Neal went back to the benches and sat down. They sat there for what felt like forever. Neal wasn't sure if three minutes had passed or thirty. Noone else spoke to them and they didn't speak to each other. Neal was just nodding of to sleep when Dom poked him in his side. They could hear voices coming from outside of the cells.

"Here comes your lass." Mak said without opening his eyes.

Light from a torch flooded the cell next to theirs. Dom had to look down and his eyes watered.

"Lay her down on the blankets." A voice commanded. The door creaked and shut but the light stayed in the hallway. Dom looked up and saw a man standing in front of the door. He was tall with blond hair and light grey eyes. He pointed at Neal.

"Are you a healer? Don't bother lying I can tell." he said before Neal could answer. "You shouldn't be here. Come with me."The man came into the cell and forcibly dragged Neal out of it. Neal shot a worried look at Dom and barely got himself out of the door before it was slammed shut.

Next story I promise you there will be some Kel in it. I just had to build it up so you knew the background. The more reviews I get the sooner I update. Please Review. Yah know you want to. You can't resist that little button down there. It is killing you to not push it. Go on push it, review.


	3. Revenge looks like bird droppings?

1A/N I own nothing. It all belongs to Tamora Pierce. In my next chapter I will comment on reviews. This is just a filler about Jon bashing. This is for A Mulata and anyone else who likes this kind of thing.

Jonathan in order to show his support for the Shangs and Keladry rode all the way to Fort Steadfast the safest place that close to the border. Jonathan was soon to find out that this simple gesture of support made by him was going to turn into a free for all king bashing for his friends.

The first day they set out was going great. Jonathan sat high on his horse at the front of the army. Knights and members of the Kings Own arrayed around him. No enemies would be able to get through to him. Or so he thought. You can never tell what your friends will do to you when they are mad and have had in Alanna's case seven years to plan against you. At around noon the army stopped at a river to let the horses drink and have a quick meal. Jonathan brought his horse to the river to let it have a nice drink. He stood petting its sides admiring his saddle when someone, and he didn't see who, nudged him and sent him flying into the icy cold river. Guards and men of the Own hurried to his aid and through the mess of people he could have sworn that he saw Rauol's retreating back shoulders shaking in laughter disappear into the crowd of horses and soldiers.

Grumbling Jonathan changed into a new set of clothes and remounted. Why would Rauol do that he thought. Maybe it wasn't him. Maybe he was laughing at something else. I'm sure he didn't see me. Jonathan talked to no one for the rest of the afternoon. No that wasn't true no one would talk to him. They are probably just busy he consoled himself. Jonathan may not have talked to any of his friends but he was by no means bored.

"I swear my horse is trying to step in every hole it can find." After a particularly deep hole Jonathan felt a drop on his head. Than another on his shoulder. Then down the front of his new tunic. Great it is starting to rain he thought. Then a white glob dropped onto his horses neck.

"What the..." Jonathan looked up in the air and saw sparrows darting away into the shrubbery. With great ease and apprehension Jonathan raised his hand to his hair to feel the mess on top of it. He closed his eyes and brought his hand in front of his face. Before he opened his eyes he wished that it was rain and not something else. He opened first his left eye then his right. His hand was covered in a white mess of bird droppings. Jonathan grimaced "Argh" and wiped the mess onto his new breaches. The birds continues to land their droppings on him at crazy intervals. Jonathan was just wiping of bird droppings that had landed on his cheek when something hit him in the temple.

"Ow, what was that?" he asked. The guards around him closed in tighter as he stopped his horse. On the ground behind all he could see was an acorn. He shrugged and continued on his way. He was soon being hit by acorns every time he passed by a tree. He was slowly starting to realize that he had made the Wildmage mad. When it finally dawned on him it hit him like a brick. He stopped his horse dead in it's tracks and looked at the worried guards around him. He hissed to the closest one on his right. "I want Daine here right now and I'm not moving until she gets here." A large crow flew in front of him cawed and dropped a huge pile of bird dung right in his lap. "And for gods sakes get me a new set of clothes."

After he changed behind a bush he found Numair waiting beside his horse. Jonathan stamped up to him. "Where is your wife! Where is Daine."

Numair looked startled "Jon, she isn't here. She flew in eagle form to Steadfast yesterday."

Jonathan stammered. His mouth agape he got back on his horse and settled in. It wasn't until then that he realized that not a single one of the men surrounding him was covered with bird droppings until he caught sight of Lord Wyldon. He looked just like Jonathan did. "Fine." he said icily. "You may go back to what ever it was you were doing."

Numair nodded and rode back down the line with a smile on his face. He passed Alanna and waved to her then gave her a thumbs up. Alanna laughed and rode to the head of the army to see Jonathan. He had changed but his hair and horse were covered with white. Alanna couldn't help it she cracked up into a fit of laughter mixed with snorts.

Jonathan couldn't wait to get inside the castle and have a warm bath, a hot meal, and crawl into a soft bed. Alanna had other plans for him. While Jonathan traded pleasantries with the castles lord and lady Alanna crept up to his rooms. His bath was drawn and steam was rising from it's surface. Alanna stuck her finger into it and turned it ice cold. She switched the lavender smelling hair cleaner with honey and his tooth cleaning powder with flour. She then went to his bed and sprinkled a light dusting of itch powder between the sheets. Then she went to the set of clothes that had been spread out for dinner that night and did the same. As a final touch she traded his perfume out with skunk stink. She slipped out of his rooms and went to make plans with the castles head steward to sit as far away from Jonathan as possible at dinner.

The next three days were much of the same for Jonathan. Each day it was something new. It was like every animal and servant in Tortall had turned against him. When he saw the walls of Fort Steadfast loom in front of him he gave out a yell and galloped as fast as his stumbling horse would go. When he was inside ,he reasoned, he could have a better control of his environment and be more watchful. No more itching or cold baths. No more smelling like skunk. No more having to shave his head because he couldn't get the honey out. And no more being bombarded by bird droppings and acorns.

In his glee to get inside Jonathan didn't notice the eagle flying over head to land on Numair's shoulder. He also didn't notice the low branch that his horse was headed straight for.

This is just for you A Mulata. Well and everyone else who thinks Jonathan is a stupid jerk. I like him when they were younger and I know the whole kings have to be kings thing is true but gosh what a jerk. I love to pick on him but I still love him. What would the story be without him? I also love to pick on Neal maybe I will do that later. He is so funny. I will probably update tomorrow.(I already have ten more reviews in like two days) Plus I am on holiday so I have plenty of time. I love holiday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is just a filler chapter by the way. But you still have to review. I demand it. I will channel King Jonathan and force my male egotistical views on you to make you.


	4. Another Cell

1A/N: I don't own any of this. Everything brilliant is owned by the wonderful Tamora Pierce. All of it that is except the not so good stuff that belongs to me. Well sort of. ; ) I wrote that last chapter on a whim. I meant for this to be chapter three but that was the only way that I could fit in some Jonathan bashing. I wrote it in like an hour and I just had to post it. I love the title of it. Sorry I forgot that I said Kel was going to be in it.

**Eclipsa**: Definitely planning a sequel. I think this story may have like ten chapters and then I will do something with the Kel/Dom thing. Good luck with finals. I will look for the next chapter soon. I cannot wait.

**Luna Dust**: I know I did a cliff hanger but at the time I didn't really think about it. I hope I made it up to you by updating fast.

**Crazy lady Knight**: I love your name!! I meant to say that last time but I was so happy with all the reviews I forgot. Everybody loves a crazy lady knight!!!

**Pie of Doomeh**: As you can see I used my crazy powers of mind control in the last chapter also. And I will again you just will never know when. Mwwwwahahahahahaha (evil laugh. If you could hear me now you would be shaking in your boots.) Yes rather jerkish when he grew up.

**RukiaMS:** Here is the update. Hope you enjoy.

**Sarra's Wildchild**: You didn't have to wait that long at least but come on didn't you have fun thinking about what I would do to our favorite Meathead? Admit it. I was thinking about doing something with clowns but maybe that will be for a later chapter. Or a dream I love dreams because anything can happen in them even if it has nothing to do with the story or Tortall.

**A Mulata**: Didn't you just love the last chapter. I am so glad I was the first person to comment on you. And you get to be the first person I comment on commenting you. I love it when authors thank everyone who reviewed. Especially when it is me. It makes me feel special. I went to see if you have any stories and I read your profile it is freakin' hilarious. People are so stupid sometimes. I used tp live in Florida (beach state ,USA, disney, miami) in case somebody doesn't know and when I moved back to the UK people just assume that I was like the ultimate surfer chick. I can't even surf. And I only went to the beach like three times a year. And the kids in Florida expected me to like pull out a tea set at lunch and have tea and crumpets. It was kinda funny.

**Do you Know Emily Davison**: I totally researched her she was kick ass. It was amazing what she did. I don't think I would have the guts. You will have to excuse me not knowing I went to American schools for like five years. I love America just the school system where I lived wasn't that great. I took a class on how to play piano that is all we did for like half a year. Sorry about the cliffy but I hope this satisfies your insatiable hunger for my marvelous fanfiction. Did you like that sentence?

**SarahE7191**: I didn't think of a frog. That would have been hilarious because he could have gotten worts or it would have been poisonous. I'm sorry about the Kel thing I guess I should read my own author notes.

**Shamrockgirl07**: Kel was there didn't you see her?(something flies by screen) There she goes again. Just kidding. Sorry about that. I don't know how I am going to wright it when kel meets Jon again. I know what will happen when she sees Wyldon.(I'm not going to tell you, you just have to wait.) But I still have to think about the king.

P.S. Check out my fic We are the ones. It is a song fic about lady knights.

P.S.S. Does anyone know the name of the dream god. Something like Gamiel right? I think it is in the book In the Realms of the Gods. Mine are not with me now so I will have to rely on my lovely reviewers.

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Neal was scared to death. How did they know he was a mage? Numair had given him a charm that hid his gift to anyone but a black robe. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the brightness of the hallway. When they did he looked up to see four men along with the one who had dragged him from the cell looking at him. Before Neal knew what was happening the man had him pinned against the wall with his forearm against Neal's throat. Neal tried to fight back and landed a good punch against the mans chin before two of the guards held his arms down.

The man leaned in and whispered into Neal's ear. "My name is Janek I am the Shang Ravens brother. Me and my five friends here have been looking after the lady shang but she is ill and I was told by my brother that you are a healer. She needs you so I am going to put you into that cell and you are going to stay there with her. Don't worry about getting caught we are the only ones that come down here. Don't heal her to much just heal her so that she can live keep her bruises puffy and the cuts opened. Clean them out and fix the broken bones every time she comes back. If you need anything just let me know I will be down here every couple hours to check on you." He thrust Neal into the open cell and shut the door. "I will be back in ten minute with some water and bandages."

Neal used his gift to call a ball of green light into his hand and looked around the cell. On the floor in the corner an unconscious women was laying on the blankets that he had seen earlier. He knelt down next to her so he could see her better. The women was young about nineteen she had long brown hair which was braided tightly against her scull and down her back. He had seen the style before on some of the women and men that came to the palace from the Yamani Islands. She had high cheekbones and a delicate nose that had somehow escaped being broken. Her cheeks were covered with cuts and it looked as if she had been dragged on the ground. New and old bruises covered both eyes and cheeks under the scrapes. She had two black eyes and her right eyebrow was split as was her lip. Some of the bruises were turning green in the middle and purple around the edges. Her neck was long and slender and when Neal mover the collar of her ripped tunic he saw marks around her neck. Someone had tried to strangle her. Her tunic was ripped in several places as were her pants. When Neal examined her hands he saw that several fingers were broken and the skin on her knuckles was gone. And this is just the outside damage he thought.

"Neal! Neal is that you?" Dom whispered through the window. Neal stood up and looked at his cousins worried face through the window. "This is her Dom. That man who pulled me in here was The Ravens brother. He said that I was to heal her. I haven't even really examined her yet but from what I can see she has been thoroughly beaten up." He looked down at Kel and then back up at Dom. "I am going to heal her now. But Daine needs to get here soon." Dom nodded and returned to the benches to think.

Neal returned to working on the healing. He poured his gift into her body and strengthened her system. He then checked for broken bones. As he suspected she had four broken fingers. He healed them then healed a broken arm and last a broken rib. When he healed the rib an audible pop was heard that reverberated throughout the cells. Neal heard noises from the other cell but ignored them. He continued to clean out the cuts and was working on her knuckles when once again natural light filtered into the cell from the whole in the bottom. The door was opened and Janek walked in. Neal sat against the wall exhausted. Janek handed him a water flask, Neal grunting his thanks and took a swig from it. Neal noticed that he had also brought a bucket of water as well as some rags and some extra blankets.

"How is she doing?" Janek asked. He knelt down beside Keladry and touched one of the bruises on her cheek.

"She'll be fine once we get her out of here. Does she know you are The Ravens brother?" Neal asked quietly.

"No. I don't want it to slip when King Maggot tortures her." he replied.

Neal snorted in laughter at the name that had so many times escaped his lips coming from one of Maggurs own soldiers.

"You stay here from now on. Tomorrow she will be left alone. Either I or another of my men will be down every couple of hours to check on you. I will let you know as soon as I can if something unexpected happens." he explained. Neal who was to tired to speak just nodded. Janek got up from the floor and left the torch behind. He looked back once at Neal nodded his head and shut the door. When the door slammed Kel moaned and Neal saw her eyes flutter and then open. He sat up quickly and went to her side.

Neal looked down and fell into a pair of dreamy hazel eyes. Specks of gold that reminded Neal of griffin feathers burst from the center of them. She blinked and he was let go. "Who are you?" She croaked out.

Neal lifted her head up and poured water from the flask into her mouth. She swallowed easily and drank most of the water down. When she was done Neal propped her up against the wall. "My name is Neal. I am a prisoner here and have been instructed to keep you alive." He decided to not tell her why he was really here because like Janek said if she was questioned he didn't want her to accidentally tell anything. Neal knew she was in pain but none of it showed in her face as she tried to get comfortable. This has to be her Neal thought. She has the same expressionless face that all Yamani's have. He had seen it around the palace so much lately and on his old friend. "I think you should get some rest. I can tell that you haven't slept well in weeks. Tomorrow you will be left alone so you can sleep all day if you would like. With your permission or without it I am going to make you sleep."

Kel looked into Neal's face. She searched his eyes for any hidden intent or insight. She must have seen something she liked because she slowly nodded her head while keeping her face expressionless. Neal helped her back to the floor and covered her with two blankets. She asked him for a little more water and he complied. Then while looking into her golden eyes he put his fingers to her temples and made her sleep.

He sat back on his heels and looked at her serene face. Her chest went up and down and she was soon in a deep sleep. He reached out and brushed a strand of hair that had come loose of one of the many braids out of her face. How could so much trouble come from one women ,no girl he thought. She is the same age as my sister. Even with the blankets covering her she shivered in the cold. Neal lay down next to her and used his arm as a pillow. He was soon asleep so he didn't hear or see the tears that trickled down the cheeks of the sleeping form next to him.

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In this story Kel doesn't remember that she is Kel so she calls herself Kayolina. But like Tamora Pierce did in the Alanna series she refers to Alan as Alanna when she is narrating so even though Kel calls herself Kayolina when I am narrating I am going to call her Kel. Get it? I'm not really crazy I swear. Even though it does look like it now this is not a Kel /Neal story. Dom would have looked at her like that only I didn't have a reason to put him in there yet. Yah know these chapters look a lot longer when you type them on your computer. Anyway review please.


	5. Neal let it slip

1A/N I own nothing. Well maybe a few things (I think I remember buying a car) but not much in this story. I wish I did and I am making a time machine so I can go back in the future and publish this book before Tamora Pierce. Just Kidding I could never do that I worship her. Any way review. Tell me what you think.

**Nativewildmage**: I know that was how it sounded but I hope this chapter will clear up who is going to fall in love with who.

**Luna Dust**: I know I beat her up a lot but Neal is a powerful mage he can handle it. I do like Kel/Neal stories but I always feel so bad when they kill Yuki of Dom. I prefer them when they start out at the beginning of Squire.

**Crazy Lady Knight**: Thanks for the reviews. I really appreciate them.

**Pie of Doomeh**: Magic isn't all it is cracked up to be. I get sick of having it. It gets so tedious when friends ask me to make stuff happen. Just Kidding. Can't you see I wish I had it to. Them I wouldn't have to get up to shut the lights off.

**Shamrock girl07**: No she only goes by Kayolina. And you are trying to sneak information out about other chapters. Sneaky sneaky. You my friend have been reading to much about George. Actually I haven't even written them yet so I don't know if she will or not.

**SarahE7191**: maybe that was because I said Kel instead of Kayolina.

**RukiaMS**: Thanks for reviewing.

**Amulata**: Wow that is the longest review I have ever gotten. I hope you learned how to sit properly. I remember doing that but in thick choir robes that you tripped on when you walked up the bleachers. I don't think Roald will end up that way. At least not in MY story. I guess I will just be a Crazy British Surfer. I think I could work with that. My signature trick could be to have tea while surfing an amazingly tall wave. I'll get working on that and tell you how it is going. You're stories are very funny and thanks for the info.

**Errant of the Violet Shockers**: Thanks for the review I hope you enjoy this nest chapter.

**Sarra's wildchild**: I guess it was sad. I just started to wright and that is how it happened. I guess I have a flare for Jon bashing and writing sad stories.

P.S. Check out my other fic. We Are The Ones.

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Neal wasn't sure how long he had slept or what had woken him up but he was unwilling to let go of the comforting warmth of sleep. That was until he felt how stiff he was from sleeping on a cold flagstone floor with only his arm as a pillow. He opened his eyes and sat up propping himself against the metal door. He groaned from his splitting headache and put his head into his hands.

"Here have some water. There is also some soup and bread that one of the guards just brought in." Neal jumped at the sound of the voice.

He hadn't expected the girl to be awake yet after such an intensive healing gods knew he wasn't. She sat looking at him across the short distance. What was her name? What had Alanna said her name was, Kay? "What is your name you never told me." he asked.

She had picked up a bowl of soup and was soaking the bread in it so she could eat it. She took a bite and grimaced as her lip split open again and blood came into her mouth along with the bread. She wiped the blood away and replied. "Kayolina."

"So why are you here? What did you do to get you beaten up on a regular basis?" Neal already knew but he didn't want her to think that he did. He just wanted her to think that he was getting to know her so if something slipped then he could say she told him.

"I got rid of a nightmare and his dog. Maggur didn't like that. But it was worth it no matter what he does to me." She looked into the distance for a moment and Neal could tell she was thinking about what it was exactly Maggur could do to her. He grabbed the other wooden bowl and found that it was filled with a thick vegetable soup. There was even chunks of beef in it. He touched the charm the Numair had made him and saw that it was not poisoned. He dug in and it was soon finished. He decided to save the bread for later. When you are in a prison you don't know when you are going to eat next. He looked back up at Kayolina and noticed that she was having a hard time trying to eat. She couldn't grip the spoon and her hands shook from the newly healed fingers.

"Here let me help you with that." Neal went to her side and helped her spoon soup into her mouth. When she had eaten all of the soup Neal set the bowl back of the ground and felt her fore head. She had a slight fever but nothing bad.

"I never thought that I would be being spoon feed by a stranger anytime in my adult life." Kayolina mumbled.

Neal smiled down at her. "Most warrior women don't. I don't expect the shang Griffin to be any different."

Before Neal could blink he was on the floor with Kayolina pinning him down. She had the spoon against his throat. She was fast and Neal wasn't expecting it. "Who are you really?" she snarled. Neal couldn't believe he had let it slip that he knew who she was. "This may be a spoon but I can still break your windpipe with it and don't think I wont. Who are you, why are you in my cell, and how do you know who I am?" Her hazel eyes flashed gold. The eyes that Neal had thought were beautiful were now snapping with what, Fury? Neal couldn't help thinking that her Yamani calm was astounding. Even when she was about to kill a person she showed no emotion. And where did she get that strength from?

"Wait, I was sent here by the Shang Raven to help protect you!" He whispered harshly the spoon on his throat causing him to barely be able to breath. "The whole shang community came to Tortall to ask help in rescuing you because of what you did for us with the whole killing devices and Blayce the Gallan. My cousin Dom is in the cell next to us. We are supposed to keep you safe until the Tortallans and shang storm the castle. Please you have to believe me. I don't want to hurt you and I'm not here to spy on you." Neal looked into her eyes to make her believe him and once again felt like he had fallen into them. He couldn't breath, he couldn't think. All he could do was stare into her eyes. He felt like no mater how hard he tried he couldn't lie. He felt like she knew every lie he had ever told, every time he had ever cheated, every time he had done anything he ever felt ashamed of. He felt like he was staring into the eyes of a Griffin. She let out a heavy sigh sat up and looked away from his. Neal could finally breath.

"Gaven sent you. I knew he would find me but why would he ask for Tortall's help? Is Neal your real name?" she asked.

"Yes. Sir Nealan of Queenscove. My father is the royal healer. Domitan of Masbolle is my cousin he is second in charge of the Kings Own. We are supposed to keep you safe until we get a message that it is safe to leave. It shouldn't..." Neal was cut off by the sound of a key in the cell door. Kel jumped off of Neal and into a fighting position in the blink of an eye. Neal was scrambling to his feet when Janek walked in. He looked at Neal and lifted an eyebrow.

"Do you need anything?" he smirked.

Neal's face flushed with embarrassment. "Is there any way that I could get my cousin in here. We need to talk with him." Janek looked from Kel to Neal then nodded his head. He shut the door again and Neal could hear voices. The words were indistinguishable but he was sure that he heard a yell come from Dom.

Moments later Dom was thrust into their cell. He sat up and looked around. When he saw Neal he smiled. Then he looked at Kel and his mouth fell open. He couldn't see her very well in the dark but what he could see enchanted him. She had a perfect figure. She was delicate yet muscular. She was a fighter and Dom could almost feel the energy and stubbornness radiate off of her. He couldn't put a finger on what was so appealing about her. Finally he decided that it was her confidence. She stood there swaying from exhaustion yet she was still willing to fight.

"Kayolina this is my cousin Domitan." Neal told her. She swayed once more and Neal caught her before she fell. He sat her against the wall and offered her water. She drank her fill then said in a calm steady tone.

"Start from the beginning. Why did they just let you in here without even a question?"

Neal started from the beginning. He told her who they were and how they knew about her. They told her how it was that they had come to be trapped inside the dungeons and who the guards were. Then about the tentative plan to attack the castle. Kel was quiet for awhile. Her blank face was turned towards the wall and her cheek was pressed against the cool stone.

Dom couldn't help himself. "I don't mean to be rude but how do you know that we are telling the truth? How do you know that we aren't just trying to get you into trouble or trying to get you to say something we don't know?"

Kel turned to them and studies what she could see of their faces in the dark. "When I took the version of an ordeal that the Shang use I was given a task. You already know about that but what you don't know is that I was given the power of a griffin. It has happened to others before. The current shang Phoenix went into the ordeal and came out with the ability to call fire at will. All I have to do is look in someone eyes and tell if they are lying. I can make them tell the truth."

"But that's magic. I thought the shang didn't use magic. I mean your like a walking truth spell!" Neal stammered.

"We don't use magic! I didn't ask for it and I don't want it! It makes my life harder than it already is. I can't always control it." she sighed and took some deep calming breaths. She didn't like to explain herself to people but she needed these men to understand. "Like I said it has been known to happen before. Magic is generally excepted as a crutch. We don't say no but it is hard for a person with the gift to not use it. But since we go through our whole training without the powers they are overlooked as long as we don't become dependent on them."

That's why I felt like that when she looked at me Neal thought. He shivered and scooted closer to Dom. Dom was looking at Kel with the oddest expression on his face. It was somewhere between disbelief and respect.

The room was once again quiet for hours. They talked little but thought a lot. Neal and Dom soon fell asleep leaning against each other. Kel couldn't help looking at Neal. There was something about him. Something that set her nerves on fire. She would see him move out of the corner of her eye and an image of him laughing and smiling would come to mind. It was driving her crazy. She couldn't put a finger on what it was though. She decided that it was because she had looked into his eyes when he was telling the truth.

The truth wasn't something that many people liked to use anymore and Kel still hadn't perfected her power and hardly ever used it. Back at the shang training facilities she found herself training the children more and more. Mostly because they didn't lie as much. And when they did you didn't have to have magic to tell. And while she had friends before she felt alienated from some now. When she had first got the griffins gift she had looked at people and it just happened. She didn't bother to learn how to use it or what it was. People started to avoid looking in her eyes and stopped talking to her. That was when Gaven had suggested getting the help of an old friend of his The black robe mage Kaven. He helped her control the magic and bend it to her will. They found that it was controlled by her emotions. It was good that she had a very tight reign on them as it was but she had to tighten them even more.

She didn't get that knowing feeling from Domitan. She got a feeling of certainty almost safety from him. She felt relaxed for the first time in a month. He was handsome which was something she usually didn't notice at first. She had been in relationships before but something always happened. The men either felt threatened by her orgaven and Kaven would get to them. They never admitted it but she knew. He is probably courting someone she thought. Kel lay back down on the blankets and closed her eyes. She had meant to stay awake and think but soon her eyes drifted shut and she fell into the world of her dreams.

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I know not much of an ending but I wanted to save the next part for another chapter. I hope this story isn't to confusing. Let me know and I will change some things that I am going to do. Before I said that I didn't want the Kel in my story to be a super shang but I wasn't sure about the magic thing. I was always planning to do it but I still don't want here to be super women but please tell me what you think about the Magic thing. Also I didn't notice until this chapter but I saw that I was switching POV's a lot. Tell me if that is confusing. I find it that it is easier to tell the story but let me know. If I cut down and do one POV per chapter than they will be smaller and I may repeat the same "scene" over just in someone else POV.


	6. Dreams get Intertwined

1It seems like I keep saying this over and over again. I own nothing but the few characters who you don't recognize you will know who they are. Everything else belongs to Tamora Pierce.

**Luna Dust: **Utterly Awesome wow. That is so cool that you would say that. I hope you think that this chapter is that good.

**Amulata: **I am glad you like the truth powers I was a little worried about that. I wasn't sure if people would like it.

**Sarra's wildchild:** Glad you don't find it confusing. I would hate to make shorter chapters.

**Beka Cooper: **Here is an update thanks for the nice reviews.

**SaraE7191: **I didn't even notice how the spelling was but Kaven is pronounced with hard A kinda like cave + N. And Gaven is with a soft A. I guess it was a little bit stupid for the names but I have a friend named Kaven so that is why I chose it.

**shamrockgirl07:** I like the being able to not lie thing too. I was thinking of doing something that she could talk to Griffins to but I thought that was going a little over board.

**Pie of Doomeh: **Like I said I didn't want to make her to special but just special enough for her to be a heroin. I do like the magic thing too mixed with the shang. And no I can't tell when someone is lying I wish I could because then I could tell when my stupid boyfriend is lying. Actually I am a very good and convincing liar it is something that I am very proud of and that I have used to get out of more than one hard situation and many traffic tickets. My friends say that I should be an actress but I get stage fright just from answering a question in class.

I appreciate everyone's reviews and helps with writing and names I love you all. Please check out my other fic We Are The Ones. Nobody had reviewed for it yet I think it is because it is a song fic. Not many people like those I think but I was listening to the song and it just felt like it fit.

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That afternoon while Kel slept she had a dream that she had almost every night for the last month. In the dream she was walking down a hall. She always turned to a mirror to look at her reflection. She had her hair cut short, to her earlobes and she was about ten years old. She was wearing golden hose and a crimson red tunic. She then turned to walk down a hall full of doors. As she passed each door she heard people having conversations. Voices were talking to her about math problems, who they had crushes on, and training for something. They were all male voices at first. Then the deep harmonious voice of a women would break through. When Kel heard that voice she became frantic. She wanted to find the women. It was so important to her but no matter how far or fast she ran she couldn't find a door that opened. She finally got to the end of the hall and to a great double door. The door looked like the night sky. It was midnight blue and twinkling stars covered it's surface. She stood there staring at it. Every once in a while a shooting star would fly across it and a bodyless voice told to her make a wish. Every time she wished for the same thing. To meet the women who's voice was talking to her. After the seventh star and the seventh wish and just as her feet were getting tired she started to hear the other voices again. They were calling for her only they weren't using her name. They were calling her Kel or Keladry. She denied it and kept telling them her name was Kayolina but they wouldn't listen. They grew louder and louder until she had to cover her ears with her hands. She turned around and saw that the doors were open. All she could see beyond was darkness. Quiet peaceful darkness. Then a different voice than the others came through the door. It was inside her head. It was the voice that had told her to wish on the shooting stars.

"Come inside." it said. "And you will rest." Kel nodded and walked inside the big double doors. They shut with a loud bang and all the voices died in an instant. She fell and her knees landed on a soft cushioning grass her ears still buzzing. Kel couldn't help but fall asleep. She would sleep through the rest of the night without anymore dreams.

But this afternoons dream was different. When she got into the dark room she saw a ball of light glowing softly in the middle. She walked up to it and it wasn't until she got there that she noticed a man standing next to it. She assumed it was a man she couldn't tell because he was wearing a long cloak that matched the doors outside. It was made from a fabric that twinkled with stars and on the right breast was a half moon. Kel couldn't help thinking that it was the same as the moon outside. The sleeves where long and dragged along the ground. The hood was drawn far over his head and Kel could see nothing behind it. The person behind the hood spoke.

"I am Gameal and I have been looking for you. I have found your dream self but not your real self. It wont be long but when I do it will be time for you to remember. Now it is time for you to rest." He reached out a hand and touched her forehead. She instantly fell down onto the soft grass.

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Neal was also having a recurring dream. Only his dream was a real event. It had happened seven years ago. He could remember the day perfectly. The sweet smell of the summer air, the vibrant color of the flowers, and the salty taste of his fresh tears. The day he was remembering was the day that he helped bury his best friend.

He along with two of Keladry's older brothers Conel and Inness and Alanna the Lioness King Champion carried the empty casket into the private garden. Around the grave stood her family and friends. He saw all the pages that were her friends standing in a tight group near the back. Some were crying while others just looked lost starring of into the distance refusing to look at the grave. Keladry's family stood close together at the head of the grave. Her father had his arm around her mothers shoulder's which were shaking in silent tears. Prince Roald stood with his parents to the side of the grave behind them were friends of the family and people who wished them well. Keladry's oldest brother Anders walked before the casket his limp not allowing him to help carry it.

Neal became aware that tears were streaming down his cheeks. He didn't care this was his best friend. She didn't deserve to die like this her body lying somewhere to never be found. He would cry for her and never forget her dream. He would remember her by treating everyone as equals he would help protect the small and innocent just like Kel. He helped lower the casket into the ground and stepped back.

During the prayers given by the Mithran priests Neal caught sight of Lord Wyldon standing in the back on the border of the garden his face set hard and unmoving. Neal almost fell over when he saw a single tear fall from his right eye. The Mithran priest finished his prayers with "So mote it be." and everyone replied with the same. The priest nodded to Keladry's mother who stepped forward and dropped a single white rose on top of Keladry's casket. Everyone else came forward one at a time and threw in red roses. Neal walked up to the hole in the ground that was to be his friends final resting place kissed his rose and let it fall into the grave. He the helped cover it up with dirt. Alanna sent her gift out over the fresh mound of earth and within minutes there were fully grown rose bushes covering the grave all red except for one singe white bush in the center at the head of the grave. She then called a rock from the ground with words engraved in it. She had to be carried out of the garden. Neal stayed in the same place after everyone was gone. He walked up to the stone and traced his fingers over the inscription. It was in Yamani and he didn't know what it said. A single tear landed on the gravestone soon to be followed by many.

"Why are you crying?" Someone asked. Neal looked up and saw Kel standing in front of him. No it wasn't Kel it was Kayolina. Neal stood up, this hadn't happened before. "Why are you crying?" she asked again. "She isn't dead she is just lost."

She then reached out and started to pinch Neal's nose. It hurt a lot. So much that he woke up. But the pain didn't go away.

"Neal." Dom said quietly. "You have a huge rat on you're chest and it keeps biting your nose."

Neal jumped up and frantically brushed at his tunic. "Where did it go?" he asked. Dom pointed to just in front of Neal. The rat sat on the ground behind a rolled up piece of parchment. Neal picked it up and opened it. It was in a code that George had taught him. He quickly decoded it and read it then looked at the rat. "Daine is that you?" he asked. The rat nodded it's little head. "Good. Here is our report, there are five guards inside that will help us. There are also about ten prisoners other than ourselves next door. If we can I would like to get them out also. The Griffin is injured but she should make it through a retreat. That is her there." he pointed to Kel's still sleeping body. "We need something to tell us the time. We don't have a window and the one in the other cell isn't very useful. Can you send a rat with a note again right before it happens?" the rat Daine nodded again. "That is it then. We will see you later." The rat climbed the wall and went through the window between the two cells.

"That thing was huge." Dom exclaimed. "What did the paper say?"

"They are attacking in the morning. They got here in record time since the Scanrans on the border are thin. They are going to blast a hole in the cells since they are on an outside wall. Stupid but this is an old castle and they haven't bothered to repair it. There will be several people to help get her out of the castle and back behind our lines. Apparently they didn't face that much of a resistance from the commoners."

"Did it say who was leading the army?"

"Yes, but that is the part that I don't understand. It is Lord Wyldon. He resigned as the training master a week ago for no reason at all. Why would he be leading an attack on the Scanrans?" Dom just shrugged his shoulders. He didn't know Lord Wyldon that well so he didn't understand Neal's confusion.

Neal used his gift to light the paper on fire then dropped it on the ground. As it lay there smoldering Neal sat back down and started to think. His strange dream came back to him and he couldn't help but feel on edge about it. Kel was alive. That is what the girl in his dream had said. He couldn't remember what the girl looked like but she had said that Kel was just lost. Well then he needed to find her. He had looked every summer since it happened. Every town he went to while he was a squire he asked about her. Nobody knew anyone with her description. Kayolina moaned in her sleep. It sounded like she was saying something but Neal didn't understand it. When she turned her face to Neal he remembered. It was her in his dream. She was the one who told him that Kel was still alive just lost. Maybe she is in the Yamani Islands and she knows her Neal thought. The guards opened the door interrupting Neal's thoughts and brought in the evening meal.

"We have been instructed to bring her up to Maggur tomorrow morning at about the eighth bell." Janek explained. "When she comes back she will need to be healed. Save your strength it may take a lot from you." He looked worried.

"Are they planning something new?" Dom asked.

"I don't know. All I know is that Maggur is mad. His wife used her gift to make her voice sound throughout the whole city. She said that the gods had forsaken them and then she jumped out of her tower. I don't know why. She was in the thick of things just like her husband. She was the one that persuaded him to use The Gallan." he looked at Kel's sleeping body then back at Neal and Dom. He nodded his head and left them alone again.

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Do you like? Dreams are so fun. While I was doing Neal's dream I started crying. I am such a baby. I was also watching a stupid chick flick with my friend to so that might be why. The end of this chapter is a little weird. I am doing it while I am in the hospital. I was throwing daggers with my "brother" (it is a little weird but I love it, it is so calming. I have been doing it for like six years.) I had just taken my turn and was going to pull it from the target and my brother threw his. It went into my right thigh. It wasn't that sharp because we were just practicing with a bale of hay but it stuck in about two inches. If any of you know anything about knife throwing he was using a Generation Two Small Thrower. If he was any good it would have gone into my shoulder where the target was. And then I wouldn't be able to do anything. So I guess I am glad that he sucks. Anyway please review. I love reviews. They are the best. I will probably have nothing to do for the next week because I can hardly stand so I will be updating a lot because I have nothing else to do.


	7. Ten Questions

1Sadly I own nothing but the few odd characters that you don't recognize from the wonderful world of Tortall which belongs to Tamora Pierce. And those are mine you can't have them. After this story I will keep them in a little box and take them out only when I want to write a new story. Maybe I will make them a doll house. Hmmmmm. I'm glad I made Gaven and Kaven cute. And if they make me mad I will let a little girl play with them like barbie dolls.

**Amulata:** That is a good question about Joren but alas I cannot reveal the future. The dreams were sad I know I cried like every time I reread it. I am glad you think my story is still going strong sometimes they fizzle out towards the end. My biggest fear is not finishing it. I hope that never happens but you never know.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle: **Knife throwing isn't that hard you just have to have good aim and a steady hand. And money to buy knives that you loose or bend so much you can't file them down anymore. I love Kel/Dom too. I am pretty good I have won several tournaments. They are kind of boring though so I stopped going because there are hardly any teenage girls there. In the states there were but not here. Older women do it but usually I compete against boys my age. And my brother is the one who taught me. He just hasn't doneit in like four years and wasn't paying attention. And believe me after this I am taking his away.

**Numairiscool: **I'm glad you like it and just think while I am lying in bed I get to read and write and nobody bothers me. I love it. So that means that I will be updating a lot.

**Luna Dust: **Don't cry but I am glad you liked it and I will be updating very soon like now : )

**SarahE7191:** Nobody knows who Kel is. Kel doesn't even know who she is.In the dream Neal thought that it was Kel standing over the grave for like a second then he realized that it was Kayolina. Kayolina and Kel are the same person but noone knows that except Gaven and the Kings Council from the first chapter. Think of it this way her memory has totally been erased of anything having to do with Tortall. She was never there, She never had any parents, she never met Neal. Itis like her mind created a new past for her. And when Neal woke up and thought about the dream at the end of the chapter he couldn't remember who it was in the dream that had talked to him but then he saw Kayolina's face and remembered that it was her in the dream. So he thinks that Kayolina knows Kel or where she is or what happened to her.

**Pie of Doomeh: **I wasn't calm when it happened I must have called him every name in the book. And I am making him suffer for it too. He has to wait on me hand and foot now and do everything I say. We live alone now so for three days he had to call off of work so he could stay home. The only other time I got hit was when I was pulling my arm back to throw and you hold the blade between your thumb and middle finger well when I was just about to let go my cell phone range. It was in my pocket on vibrate and it scared the shit out of me. I dropped the knife and it cut down my arm wrist to elbow. I swear people thought I was cutting myself.

**Sarra's wildchild: **Thanks. But remember a hurt me means a new chapter every other day.

**shamrockgirl07: **DunDunDun I am so evil when it comes to cliffys aren't I. I totally thought he would cry to because I think Kel had a little place in his heart. And it was kinda his fault cause he made her leave. In the Squire, Knight books I like Lord Wyldon for how he treats Kel and for taking on Owen for a squire. I wonder what that must have been like. Maybe I will write a story about Owen and Wyldon.

**Eclipsa:**I know I even asked people how to spell it and I had the best intentions of spelling it correctly but I forgot to change it when I posted it. I think I spelled it with a M instead of N. I don't know but I swear next time I will.

Check out my other fic We Are The Ones. Please I still haven't had a review on it and I am getting depressed.

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Neal and Dom started to hatch out a plan. They knew only one thing. That when the wall was blown out all three of them had to be together in that cell no matter what.

"I suppose it all depends on what time they blast us out of here. I should have asked Daine what time." Neal was so disappointed in himself. He had broken one of the first rules George had taught him. Ask about every detail.

"If they knew they would have said it in the message." Dom pointed out. "If we say something to the guards maybe they can make a distraction. And if the castle is being attacked during the eighth bell he probably won't send for her."

Neal agreed. "When they bring us supper we should talk to Janek. Maybe he has an idea for a distraction. Something that will stop him for quite some time. Something big."

As if on cue Janek came into the cell with their supper minutes later. When they asked him about the distraction he paused.

"What kind of distraction do you need?" he asked.

"Our people are going to blast through the prison wall here to get us out." Neal omitted the part about the other prisoners. He still didn't fully trust this native Scanran. "But we don't know what time. We don't want to get you in trouble incase the attack goes awry so you can't just refuse to come get her. We need something that if nothing has happened by the eighth bell will keep him occupied for a couple of hours."

Janek looked thoughtful. He rubbed his chin then tapped his teethe with his middle finger. "Would blowing up our weapons storage shed be enough for you?" he asked then shook his head. "Maybe not I don't think he would care about that."

"Why would you do that anyway? It would leave you weaponless." Dom asked.

Janek shrugged. "We aren't planning to fight. More than half of us aren't. The others wouldn't have any weapons so they couldn't. What about setting his apartments on fire?"

Dom was surprised again. He couldn't imagine anyone in Tortall doing that to the King. "You can do that?" he asked.

"Oh course. That would definitely keep him occupied. And since that is where he brings people to torture and question them he will have to find somewhere else." It was sound reasoning and there was nothing that could really go wrong.

"Are you sure that none of your people will get caught?" Neal asked.

"No. But if that is the price we have to pay to get rid of him then it will be done gladly." he replied.

"I don't mean to pry." Neal said. "But do you have anyone else picked out to rule in his stead or are you planning on going back to the way things used to be?"

Janek hesitated. "Have you ever heard of a democracy? It was a system of government established by the Old Ones. We will implement that. If it does not work then we will try something else. Who knows maybe some other king. A king who is wise, and really cares about Scanra."

Neal had read about the Old Ones and the way they ran a democracy. It sounded interesting but confusing. There were so many things that could go wrong. Especially when setting it up in such crude circumstances. He preferred a King or Queen to rule but understood what Janek said. Each country and people are different just because a way of government works for one doesn't mean it will work for another.

"We will blow up the armory at the seventh bell. Then half way between the seventh and eighth bell we will set fire to the Royal Apartments. They are both located on the opposite side of the palace grounds so with any luck most of the guards will be far away from here for your escape." Janek continued. "Good luck tomorrow. And hopefully the next time we see each other it will be in better accommodations." He smiled. Neal and Dom smiled in return and watched him exit the cell door.

The cousins where just finishing their share of the meal when Kel woke up. As she ate they told her about what Janek had said about Maggur being mad. Then about the note from Daine and finally about Janek's plan. When they mentioned the part about Maggur's apartments and therefor torture chamber going to be burnt she shivered. Her eyes glazed over and her face became stone. She clenched her jaw and a muscle in her cheek twitched. She tuned out the rest of what Neal was saying and didn't reply when he asked her what she thought.

Dom who was closer to her noticed and got up to sit next to her. He rearranged the blankets so that he wasn't sitting on the dirty floor. And while doing so bumped her several times. It brought her out of her stupor and she looked at him. He smiled at her and she returned that smile with a blank face.

"So Kayolina. We don't really know much about you and since I don't think we will be getting any sleep tonight why don't we share with each other. Where are you from?" he asked. She didn't reply.

"Well I am from Masbolle. That's in Tortall. I've lived there my whole life and probably will till I die. Unless I do something extremely heroic and the King decides to give me some land or a castle somewhere. It has happened before. So you're a Shang that's amazing. I'm a warrior too, second in command of the King Own. How old are you?" Again no reply.

Dom continued. "I am twenty six. My birthday is in May. Neal is twenty four. His birthday is in August. Who is you're best friend?" Dom didn't wait for a reply this time and just continued on. "I don't have a best friend. I have a lot of them. Neal is one, and Raoul of Goldenlake, he's my commander. And there are a lot of the men of the Own that are my friends. Lerent, Quism, Walsat, Aiden, Fulcher. Oh and Flyndon Whiteford. He is the one that had my job before me. He left to marry. Hey are you married. I'm not. Can't marry when you are in the Own. I do think that law is a little mwhhmwhha."

"Thank the gods that you stopped that." Neal praised. Kel who had enough of Dom's constant chatter and questioning had taken the liberty of shutting him up. She had shoved the loaf of leftover bread into his wide open mouth.

She smirked that would keep him quiet for awhile and settled back against the wall to think. But to her horror ,and Neal's also, Dom had removed the loaf quickly and continued where he left of.

"...outdated. People are going to start dropping like flies after the war is over."

"Shut up." Kel's voice was silent yet forceful. She sounded almost desperate for quiet. "If I answer five questions will you just shut up?"

"Ten." Dom negotiated.

"Five."

"As I was saying. After midwinter we have to hire new troops. That's always fun. This will be my first time as a commander. I can't..."

"Fine. Ten questions. No two part questions and then after that Domitan you will shut up." Kel emphasized the last three words with three harsh pokes in Dom's chest. She couldn't stand people who talked and talked. Yamani's didn't do that.

Dom grinned. In truth he was getting annoyed with his own talking. But it had the desired affect. He didn't think he had ever talked like that in his whole life. "Call me Dom. First question. Where are you originally from. I know you can't be a true Yamani. Your skin is to light."

Kayolina sighed. "No. I don't know where I am from originally. I have lived in the Islands my whole life. That is where I call home. The shang council says that I have been there since I was three. They found me on the doorsteps or something like that. I think I must be from Tortall or maybe Tusain or Tyra. Nine left"

"How old are you?"

"I think I am nineteen. At least that is what Gaven says. Eight left."

"Who is your best friend?"

"Kaven and Gaven although he is more like an older brother to me. Seven."

"Are you married?"

"No. Six."

"What's your favorite color?"

That startled her. It was a change from the personal questions. She had half expected his next question to be 'when are you're next monthlies'. "Red. More of a russet color. That is what color this tunic used to be. What is yours?"

"Blue." The color of his eyes She thought. "What is you're favorite weapon?" Dom asked. "Mine is a long sword."

"A _Naginata_. A glaive." she noticed the confused look in his eyes. "It is a five foot long hard teak wood pole arm with a curved eighteen inch steel blade on the end. Mine is filled with lead to make it heavier. The women of the Yamani court use it. They are deadly. My sword is my second. I prefer hand to hand combat."

Dom nodded his head in approval. "What is you're favorite season of the year?"

She smiled the first smile yet and Dom melted. "Fall. I love the smells. I love how it gets cold at night and is perfect in the day. I love the crisp apples. The way the leaves change to reds, and golds, and yellows. Everyone is so happy because the harvests are in and it is almost midwinter. Yamani's don't celebrate midwinter but at the training facilities we do because so many of the teachers and students come from the eastern lands. We have great yule logs and parties. I was in Tyra three years ago during Fall. It was beautiful."

Neal looked on as Dom slowly broke down Kel's threatening exterior. It surprised him how deep and thoughtful she was. You never would have known it from her expression he thought. Neal decided that it was like seeing his father repair a heart or a seamstress sew in the jewels that would be on a wedding gown. Intricate, every word he said had something behind it. The number of questions continued well past ten. She had stopped counted at five Neal noticed. He looked at Dom and saw the look on his face that he knew he got with his own beloved. Yes, Neal knew that look very well. And he knew just how Dom felt. Too afraid to stop talking but not wanting to stop for fear of not hearing her voice answer. Too in love to notice that she wasn't in love with him. Just the brush of her skin against his would make his heart skip a beat and send a tingle down his spine. Oh Neal knew about that feeling more than Dom. I just hope he knows what he is getting into Neal thought. He returned to pondering his dream, listening with one ear to the talk between his cousin and the once silent shang.

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Awww. Little Dommy Wommy has a crushy wushy. This chapter is short and I think that Dom is somewhat out of character but I don't care he is so cute. Not that my guy isn't but when you have been with someone for two years it gets a little boring. And he doesn't have blue eyes his eyes are green, I love blue eyes. Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter it didn't really have any action none of them have yet but there will be action soon, so much that you will love me. I loked this chapter because you get some insight into Kels life between and before Tortall. Review for me I love them they are like chocolate to me.


	8. Destroying a King

1Once again I own nothing but the few characters and a tiny bit of the plot everything else belongs to Tamora Pierce.

**Pie of Doomeh: **Yes poor little Dommy-Woomy we all love himHe doesn't have an evil mind exactly he is just in love people do crazy things when in love.

**Eclipsa:** I was promt last time but this one took a little longer sorry about that and I'm glad you like how this is going.

**Luna Dust: **I'm glad you love my story that means a lot to me. I'm not a pyro either but I like to play with fire. Onetime we had a huge bonfire and threw in a full bear bottle that was a cool fire.

**Sarra's wildchild: **Here is a new chapter have fun with it.

**Amulata: **Yah no pressure, Joren won't have a big role but he will be in here somewhere. And Kel did say Dom was cute but I have something in mind for when she realizes that she likes him.

**I have tin foil: **Chocolate, I'm glad this story is like chocolate I hope it is Hershey.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle: **O.K. so I got one of you're requests the chapter is long but it took some time to get it on here. Thanks I wasn't sure about Dom being out of character thanks for saying that.

**Princess-Of-Everything: **I hope we get to three years I think we have a good chance unless he does something exceedingly stupid which he seems to be prone to doing.

And a special thanks to **Luna Dust** for her review for my other story. Yes k/dness is cute.

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It was morning now or at least that was what Dom thought. He and Kel had stayed up talking all night with the silent Neal looking on. Now they sat in quiet companionable silence Dom's arsenal of questions depleted he figured that it was about the sixth bell. He sat watching the window between the two cells hoping, waiting, for the enormous rat to squeeze through the bars once again. He and Neal had decided not to tell the other prisoners that they would be freed until the last moment possible. Besides they weren't sure if they could free them so he didn't want to get their hopes up.

Dom heard a faint bell tole seven times. Moments later he heard an explosion and the ground shook, dirt and small rocks fell from the rafters above them. More bells toled and they could hear the heavy fall of booted feet above them. It was quiet once again almost an eery silence, everyone was looking up at the ceiling or out the small openings they had. If he strained Dom thought he could make out the yelling of guards but wasn't sure. He was so busy listening that he didn't see a small rat carrying a note jump onto Neal's knee.

"Dom they are attacking the castle now the note says they should be here soon. They have about a fifteen minutes until Maggur's apartments go up in flames." Neal looked back at the note. "They will help the other prisoners. I'll go tell them you get everything ready over here." Neal stood up and grabbed all but one of the blankets. He shoved them through the bars and Kel could see him making frantic gestures to the prisoners on the other side.

Kel was glad that the Tortallans would be able to help the others, nobody deserved to be left behind but she hoped that the Tortallans would hurry up.

Dom came over to her with the remaining blanket. "We are going to huddle in this corner and cover ourselves up with the blanket. There will be debris and this is all we have for protection." Dom took her elbow and helped her into the corner where the wall that the door was on connected with the other cell.

Neal came over to them and unfolded the blanket. "They are doing the same on the other side but they barely have enough blankets to cover them. They are trying to take the benches off of the walls but I'm not sure that they can get them off." The sound of wood splintering from the wall made him smile. "Guess I was wrong."

Neal and Dom hunkered down and covered Kel and themselves up with the last blanket. Kel sat between Neal and Dom and waited. Exhaustion overcame her again and she laid her head against Dom's firm chest closed her eyes and fell into a short fitful sleep.

They waited for about twenty minutes when light and footsteps were heard coming down the hall. This isn't right Neal thought, why are they coming from the inside? "Stay under the blanket Kayolina." He ordered.

The cell door was roughly pulled open just as Neal and Dom were getting up from under the blanket. Four guards that they had never seen before walked in. The shocked expressions on their faces lasted only a moment after Dom and Neal's disappeared. Neal grabbed the first guard by the sword arm attempting to take the sword that was in it while Dom tried to sweep the feet out from under another. One guard toppled to the ground while the other guards tried desperately to get out of his way. Neal's guard punched him square in the nose and then kicked him in the stomach with a heavy booted foot. Neal struggled to get to his feet but was lifted up and held against the wall by two guards. Neal looked to his right and saw that his cousin had befallen the same fate. He tried to discreetly look to the corner and moaned when he saw Kel standing up and ready to attack. The only thing that stopped her was King Maggur walking into the now much smaller cell.

Her eyes widened at the site of him but she kept her stance, she was stronger now she could protect herself. The self proclaimed Scanran king was built like a blacksmith his arm muscles were the size of Neal's upper leg his chest muscles were cut and rippled as he walked everything about him was giant and meant business. His once soft blond hair was shaved to his head and his icy grey eyes looked over the room taking in the scene. He smiled and Neal could see his teeth were perfectly straight and gleaming white. Maggur turned and advanced on Kel like a cat who has cornered a mouse not to kill him but just to play.

Kel didn't flinch from her solid fighting stance not even when Maggur back handed her across the face with a hand the size of a serving dish. It wasn't until the third time that she fell to the ground and slowly struggled to get on her hands and knees. Neal and Dom fought to go to her aid but were quieted by the smirking guards.

Maggur knelt down next to Kel and ran a finger along her jaw. "Did you think I would just give up on you because you had people set my castle on fire Kayolina? I missed you so much I decided to make a house call I don't need a machine to make you wish you were dead. And now I can torture your friends here just like I did to you I think I might make you watch maybe even make you help." Maggur was enjoying himself it was evident to everyone in the small cell. Kel couldn't help thinking of the pain he would make her cause the men who had only tried to help her she knew he would make her be the one to kill them. That was just the kind of person he was. She stomach retched and she threw up just thinking of the disgusting things that she could have to do but made sure that most of it landed on his highly polished boots. Things that when they had been done to her hadn't even made her cry but she knew she couldn't do them to someone else. Maggur wiped the mess from his boots onto her ripped tunic then kicked her in the stomach. Her limbs crumbled underneath her and she curled herself into a protective ball her back facing Maggur. He kicked her back this time with enough force to send her slamming into the brick wall. Maggur knelt down and felt around her neck for a pulse. Dom held his breath he didn't know what he would do if there was no pulse.

Maggur turned her over so that she was facing upwards and lifted one of her amrs up spreading out her long fingers on his large hand. He felt the fingers and frowned. "Someone has taken the liberty of healing your broken bones. I'll fix that." He squeezed her hand at the knuckles between his thumb and middle finger then pressed down on the middle of her knuckles. Her hand folded in on itself all knuckle and finger bones shattered. Just as he was picking up her other hand to do the same Neal felt a gathering of power. He recognized most of it. Alanna, Numair, and some other powerful mage were on the other side of the wall about to break through it.

"Wait." Neal yelled out to Maggur. "If you leave her alone I will tell you a secret way into King Jonathan's rooms and how to kill him without making any mess. They won't be able to prove it was you."

Maggur walked over to him and leaned on the back wall of the cell. He looked at Neal trying to scare him with a Kingly glare. "Tell me what is it that will kill this King of yours? I will admit I have tried magic and that doesn't work. There is to much protecting him and I can't get an assassin close enough. What is it? Even if it is a lie I think it shall be fun to watch you squirm."

"There is a back way in from both the Lionesses suit and the chief Healers. When we were little Prince Roald and Thom ,the lionesses son, and I would sneak to each others rooms through it. That is how we found out that the King is deathly allergic to strawberries. I swear, once the Queen had strawberry bath soap he didn't even use it and he had a rash for weeks."

Maggur smiled and opened his mouth to speak when a great thunder clap was heard outside the wall. Maggur was thrown forward by the force of the wall behind him buckling.

Total chaos reigned inside the cell. Everyone was thrown to the ground along with chunks of stone and wooden rafters. Smoke and dirt hung in the air and coated everything clogging the throats of guards and prisoners alike. The wall between the cells was half gone and the prisoners ran out of a large hole in a rush some staying behind to get orders on how to help. Support beams hung from the roof half on and half off. No one in the smaller cell moved. They hadn't been prepared and had thus received the full impact of the blast.

When Neal opened his eyes he saw that he was laying on top of two of the guards. Tortallan soldiers were streaming into the gaping hole where Maggur had once been standing. Three figures stood in front of the opening all of them had the color of their gift hanging in the air around them. One was a short red haired female with purple magic floating back into her skin. The other was an extremely tall man whose black and sliver gift was still circling around his hands. The last Neal didn't recognize he was about six and a half feet tall. He had brown shoulder length hair that was pulled back into a horse tail his eyes were a sharp hazel with a lot of green in them. He had on black robes and his body was shimmering in a gold light. That is the other gift I felt Neal thought groggily. Neal looked to his left and saw that Maggur was right beside him. His open eyes looking straight at Neal filled with hate and loathing. Neal jumped out of the way to help contain him but stopped when he saw that it wasn't Maggur. It was only half of him the other half he found out later was nowhere to be found. Neal saw Dom in the corner leaning over Kel he saw her eyes open and heard her moan.

"Alanna." Dom yelled. "Get over here quick we need to get her out of here." Alanna had been standing beside Numair surveying the mess that was the once two prison cell. She launched into action and ran to Dom's side.

Within minutes Kel was placed on a stretcher and was being carried out into the courtyard. The unknown mage ran up to her and started to talk to her he never left her side after that. Neal was the last to leave and when he stepped out of the rubble he was blinded by the natural light, the first he had seen in three days though it seemed like three weeks. Neal had expected to see fighting and have to make a run for safe ground so he was shocked when they walked unattacked and completely at ease through the castle and into the city surrounding it. Scarnans lined the streets quietly straining to see the group, Neal nervously jogged to catch up with Alanna.

A man called from the crowd. "Is that the Shang Griffin in the stretcher? Is she alright?"

Alanna smiled and answered. "Yes it is the Shang Griffin and she will be fine." She turned to Neal and beckoned him in closer her face was red and angry. "I thought we sent you here to make sure she was healed! She has a shattered hand and two broken ribs not to mention all of the cuts and bruises she has. God's Neal I thought I trained you better than this."

Clapping and shouts of joy rang throughout the city as the good news spread. People called their thanks and a child slipped from her mothers protective hands and placed a flower on Kel's stretcher.

Neal looked around confused. "I did heal her but Maggur came in the cell and started to beat her up again. Alanna I don't understand we just killed their king. We are the enemy I don't get it why are they happy?" he asked getting frantic.

"They think of the Shang Griffin as a hero they have started to call her The Protector of the Small. Before she came along it was their children that Blayce the Gallan was using she put a stop to it. She stood up to Maggur and now he is dead. Maggur was a bully he bullied these people into making him King then treated them horribly I don't know what he expected. He used their sons and husbands to fight a losing war and completely ignored what was going on right under his nose. They are thankful to us for putting a stop to it with little blood shed personally so am I." Alanna explained.

Neal nodded his understanding in a way the Scanran people were being liberated. They group of Tortallans had reached the castle gate and he saw a wagon with more Tortallan guards surrounding it. Beside the wagon stood Janek his arm was in a sling, red tinged a bandage over his left eye. Beside him stood a man who Neal recognized as the Shang Raven. When he saw the stretcher he dropped the paper he was holding and jogged over to it. Neal smiled glad that Janek hadn't been killed and walked up to him.

"So you got caught." Neal said. "Was it worth it?"

Janek turned Neal to face the way he had come. All the people had smiles on their faces and were happy, ribbons and flags with red and yellow were flying from windows. Every person that Neal could see had either a bit of red or yellow on them mostly in the form of scarfs or hats. He looked up further to see what was left of the castle the symbol of Maggurs reign. One side of the castle had flames sprouting from the windows and through the thatched roofs of the lower buildings. The other side that had escaped the flames was crumbling down and falling in on itself. People were pulling out all that they could save but there wasn't much left. Neal was shocked he had expected some fire but not the whole castle being totally destroyed. He turned around to see the smiling Janek.

"Oh it was worth it." he said. "Just to see my people happy to have a real person to look to as a hero and the Shang Griffin _is_ a hero." Janek slapped Neal on the shoulder and went back to his brother.

Dom stood to the side watching as the Shang Raven and the mage lifted the stretcher carrying Kel into the cart. He wanted to go and see her but he knew it wasn't his place. He had done his duty and now he had to step back and let her be with her people. When we get back to Tortall I will give her a kiss and if she doesn't like me then I will leave it at that he promised himself. All he wanted now was to get back to camp and sleep.

Neal came over to his cousin and slug his arm around his shoulder. Together they walked back to camp just as the loudest cheer yet came from the people of Hamerkeng.

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This is not over!!!!!!!!!!!! I know it sounds like an ending but it is not!!!!!!! Kel still has to fall for Dom. Happy Christmas everyone I probably won't be updating until after that. Sorry this chapter was so long in coming I got rid of the writers block that I had for my novel and I wrote like five chapters in it. Brogan (my "brother") gave me a kitten for Christmas he is so cute grey and white stripes all white paws and a white belly. I named him Widget. I got Brogan a goldfish and he named it Shiznit. I hope Widget doesn't eat Shiznit. Widget is so cute he will only sleep if he is on my chest or back and he just looks at me and mews when he wants something. Anyway please review and I will try to get the next chapter up faster. Oh and that thing with the hand I have had that done to me but nothing was broken it just hurts a lot!!!!! It like rubs the bones of your knuckles together.


	9. Neal Gets to Thinking

1I own nothing this is all Tamora Pierce's stuff well most of it I own a few characters but with out her's they would be pointless.The song belongs to Evenescence and is called Taking Over Me. I love them I have their first CD playing on my ipod nonstop. That and three days grace One-X. And if any of you play piano it is way worth it to spend the money on the sheet music for Evenescence it sounds beautiful I couldn't believe how real it sounded I only found the sheet music in adult advanced so for beginners I would wait.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle: **Captain Morgan like the drink? Yes Kel still has to get her memory back I forgot to say that too didn't I. And yes Kel does feel comfortable with Dom but I think that there is a difference between love and comfort. Anyway hope you enjoy the new chapter.

**Luna Dust: **Fluff I love it I hope I am good at writing it since it will be a love story soon.

**Amulata: **AHHH. A ghost Joren I didn't think of that good idea I think I could go somewhere with that.

**theknightofkonaha: **Thanks I am so glad you love this story!!! The reason I got a cat now is because we just moved into a new flat and our old places didn't let us have pets we live in a busy city so a dog was out so we got a cat and a fish.

**danceerboy8: **Well I can't be mean to Neal until later on in the story. In this story he grew up a lot since kel's "Death" and he isn't as silly or dramatic. But after Kel remembers which will be soon I promise he will get back to normal. You will have to be satisfied with the John bashing I have already done.

**Pie of Doomeh: **Aww orange kittens are so cute I didn't think all the scanrans were so bad so in my story I made it basically just Maggur I am glad they are happy too. Hope you had a great Christmas to**o.**

**Princess-of-Everything: **Thanks I had a great Christmas it was probably the best we have had in awhile. I hope you like this new chapter.

**Confused Knight: **Kel will remember soon I promise. I feel like I am dragging this out and getting a lot of people annoyed and I am really sorry about that but just hold on just _about_ three more chapters.

Neal Gets to Thinking

Neal rode beside Dom the whole way back to Tortall. He didn't talk to anyone he was to absorbed in his own thoughts. If Kel was alive then why hadn't she contacted him or her family? Had she forgotten him, had she never really cared about him? He knew that was nothing like Kel but he couldn't help thinking about it. He grew more and more depressed with every mile. Thoughts of the day he had been his most depressed after her death surfaced. Up until that day everyone had believed him when he said that he was fine. He was the one that all their friend had turned to for comfort, he was the one who had to hold it all in and keep a happy look plastered to his face. He couldn't take it anymore and the pain and guilt had overwhelmed him. Somehow thoughts that had never occurred to him kept coming to mind. If he were dead he wouldn't have to feel this pain he could find rest and Kel in death. One day he got so depressed that he was going to Lord Wyldon to tell him that he couldn't train as a Knight anymore and would be going home. Halfway to his office Neal caught site of Dom and his squad in one of the courtyards. They convinced him to come to lunch with them and afterwards Neal and Dom talked in his room. Neal let it slip what he was thinking and Dom had comforted him. He told Neal that Kel wouldn't have wanted him to quit. She would have wanted him to be a Knight even though she didn't get to. If Neal were gone who would carry out her morals and good will to others who would look out for the people nobody else looked out for? Who would be the strong one, Neal had to take over for her. Thinking back he knew that it was a stupid thing to do and that he shouldn't blame himself. He had tried to forget that day and Dom never brought it up again. It was something that had brought them closer and with the death of Neal's own brothers it was good for them both. Neal smiled at the thought Kel had given him and Dom something and she didn't even know it. She was even spreading her love for her friends from beyond the grave. He had to stop thinking about her look at what he was doing to himself.

You don't remember me but I remember you  
I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you  
But who can decide what they dream?  
And dream I do...

I believe in you  
I'll give up everything just to find you  
I have to be with you to live to breathe  
You're taking over me

Neal sighed and looked at the scenery around him. The rode they traveled on traced the right side of a cold mountain river. He could hear the comforting sound of the water flowing over the smooth rocks. Wind rustled through the leaves of the tall oak trees. Everywhere around him Neal could see life. Birds chirped on the branches calling out to each other, chipmunks chattered behind bushes hiding their latest loot of nuts. Neal could hear the marching song that the soldiers were singing. All of it was quiet noise but just the right noise to drown out his horrible thoughts. He hated it when he dreamed of Kel. He hated it when he thought of her but at the same time he wanted to hold onto what precious memories of her he had. Those memories were what drove him to find her at all costs. Her caring nature, her idealism, the desire to do what was just no matter what the cost. A surge ran through him to turn his horse now and head for the Yamani Islands. Something in his heart was telling him that was the way to go. He couldn't take one more day knowing that Kel was out there and he wasn't trying to find her.

Have you forgotten all I know  
And all we had?  
You saw me mourning my love for you  
And touched my hand  
I knew you loved me then

I believe in you  
I'll give up everything just to find you  
I have to be with you to live to breathe  
You're taking over me

He believed that she was out there waiting for him to find her. To hold her in his arms only the way a best friend could to tell her he was sorry and that he had never forgotten her. That no matter what he had done or said to anyone he was not fine. His heart ached mourning for a lost friend. He thought of the last time he had seen her. Riding out of the palace gates looking small and insignificant compared to the huge muscled guard who was riding as her escort. She hadn't cried then but he had. He had known that he would see her again but he couldn't help it. He had wanted to quit to and go back to the university but Kel wouldn't let him then. Had she forgotten the friendship that they had shared or had she found someone new. He would give up his title, his reputation, himself just to bring her back home after all it was his fault that she was gone.

I look in the mirror and see your face  
If I look deep enough  
So many things inside that are just like you are taking over

I believe in you  
I'll give up everything just to find you  
I have to be with you to live to breathe  
You're taking over me

Neal felt tears brimming up in his eyes and blinked them away. He looked up into the trees once again lost in thought. Everywhere he looked he saw her happy smiling face. The tree branches and wind seemed to join together just to mock him. He would look and see Kel standing among them her shape made from the branches and leaves just to have it whisked away by the wind. His heart would leap with joy then plunge even deeper into despair. He had to stop looking at the trees putting his faith into his horse to keep him in line. He would look at the members of the Riders and see Kels eyes, nose, hair, or lips behind the hoods of the female members. The worst thing was when he looked at Kayolina. She was tall like Kel was. Her hair color unknown because of the braids, blood, and dirt easily looked brown to his betraying eyes. Her nose was delicate and small with freckles like Kels. Her darker skin changed colors to fit Kels with a blink of Neals eyes. The only thing that wouldn't change for him was the eye color. He tried to not look her in the eyes much but when he did he saw how different the eyes were. Kel's eyes had been kind, gentle, approving. Kayolina's eyes were cold, distant, covered up just like her mask. Neal couldn't help feeling sorry for her he didn't want to even imagine what it must be like to not be looked in the eyes ever. Kel was taking over his mind. Everything he thought was about her or involving her. He had to find her. If he believed hard enough that she was alive then she would be, she had to be.

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I am going to post the next chapter fast because I don't really like this one. The only reason I made this chapter was because I think it is important for you to know how Neal was feeling when Kel was "dead" plus this is just how I am feeling. Review for me think of it as a late Christmas Present for me. It is all I want and only you can give it to me think of the joy you could spread through one click of a button.

MWAHHHH (big kisses)


	10. Peachblossom Takes a Bite

1Everything belongs to Tamora Pierce.

**Eclipsa: **I know people keep forgetting that because I say Kel instead of Kayolina in narrative. As long as you remember it is O.K.

**Pie of Doomeh: **No I didn't feel like Neal , although I wonder how that would feel?, I was just feeling a little depressed.

**Princess-Of-Everything: **I like Neal to he is funny and dramatic and a great friend. I'm so glad you all liked the chapter I was worried.

**Confusedknight:** I think that is what I didn't like about the last chapter that Neal wasn't happy I mean he is always happy isn't he?

Thanks for all the review for this story and my others. I think that I will continue on with the Owen story. It is just so cute. And I need some ideas for a Tobe story. I am going to put him in here later on but not for awhile. It kinda fits in the time line right? About a year after she was to become a knight.

Just another note since Wyldon didn't resign until the beginning of this story Owen wasn't his squire. He was Raoul's squire since Kel wasn't there. I think that fits good enough right? I didn't write it yet so if you think it is a stupid idea then give me another and I will write it in.

Luv Yah and Happy Boxing Day a day late and Happy Kwanzaa too.

Peachblossom is a Naughty Horse

The Tortallans were permitted to stay camped by the city over the next two days. After that they made a slow three day trip back to the border. People lined the roads hoping to get a glimpse of The Shang Griffin while slowing down the progress of the army. On the third day they reached Tortall's border and headed directly on to Fort Giantkiller. From there the regular army was dispatched to spread out along the boarder just in case.

In total Kel had slept four days. She tried to wake up and ride the second day but Kaven had put her back to sleep and wouldn't hear her protests. She slept until well into the afternoon on the fifth day and didn't even wake up when they reached the fort. She remembered Gaven carrying her in his arms to a room with a soft bed and slipping her under the covers. The last thing she saw before she fell into a deep sleep was Gavens worried face looming over her.

She woke up the next day late in the afternoon to light from an open window streaming into her eyes. Sparrows were chirping in a tree somewhere close by. A soft cool breeze filtered into the room blowing hair into Kels eyes tickling her skin. She covered her head with a pillow and groaned into it. She wanted to get up but her treacherous body demanded that she stay in bed no madder how much she willed it wouldn't listen to her. She sat there eyes wide open waiting for someone so come in and check on her. Kel looked outside the window and saw only the tops of tall pine trees reaching into the sky. White puffy clouds floated lazily by covering up the bright sun for a brief moment. She was just considering calling out to someone when she felt tiny prickly feet walk from up her leg , to her chest, and finally stopped right below her chin. Kel looked down and was confronted by a tiny sparrow with silver streaks running up the side of it's wings. It peeped into her ear then flew out the open window to join the rest of it's flock. Kel tried to will her body to move again. She was just lifting the covers to swing her legs out from under the heavy blankets that felt like lead when the door creaked open. Neal came in, the same sparrow sitting on his shoulder at his feet sat a small dog. Kel looked at it and thought it was the ugliest dog she had ever seen. He had mostly white fur with black splotches on his nose, one whole ear, and rump. Scars covered its skin and the fur grew in different directions. It's broken tail and half of an ear shook in his excitement and hopes of a new friend.

"Are these your animals?" she asked Neal. She loved animals and had tons of them in the Islands.

"Yes sort of. The birds used to belong to a friend of mine she died and they kind of adopted me. The dog I found my second year as a page he was going to be killed by the palace butcher and in my friends honor I saved him. He is a born fighter his name is Jump." Jump hopped onto the bed and rolled around on his back tangling himself in Kel's covers. Neal sat down on the end of the bed. He patted her knees and she swung her legs out all the way.

"Quiksilver came to get me so I guessed that you were awake." He put his hand on her shoulder and used his gift to give her a checkup and nodded in a satisfactory sort of way. "You got up just in time for lunch. Gaven brought in some of your clothes for you why don't you get dressed and come eat lunch with me. My room is two doors down on the right come and meet me there when you are ready. Jump can show you the way." With that he left her room leaving the ugly dog sitting on Kel's bed. Jump looked at her and gave her a doggy grin Kel couldn't help it she burst out laughing.

After she had gotten dressed she followed Jump to Neal's room. The door was open all the way so Kel knocked on the solid door frame. Neal was sitting on his bed feeding cherries to a flock of sparrows. Dom sat next to him cleaning bits of an old leather tack. Across the room sitting on the large desk and two chairs sat three young men. The two sitting on chairs had a chess set between them. One was huge with red curly hair and grey eyes Kel noticed that he was losing horribly. The other was short and stocky with brown curly hair that fell over his forehead he laughed as he took another of the big youths pieces. The last sitting on the desk watching them was averaged height and had darker red hair and green eyes. Kel looked at their tunics and saw the badge of a knight on the right breast pocket of all of them. Some twenty sparrows were sitting either on the men or around the room. When she knocked and Neal looked up all the sparrows took flight and zoomed at Kel. The tiny sparrows swirled around her in a cyclone weaving in and out of her arms. In the end two sat on her shoulders and the rest sat on the floor in front of her their little heads looking up at her expectantly. Kel was to shocked to speak. She just looked at Neal who was no help he sat on the bed his mouth open wide. The three men had jumped up and the two chairs and chess set lay in pieces on the floor the game lost.

"Wow." breathed the short one.

"I'll say, that was amazing. Has that ever happened before Neal?" Asked the knight that had been sitting on the desk.

Neal didn't want to reply. It had only happened one other time. When Keladry had left him seven years ago and told the sparrows to watch out for him. And then he had been on the other end. He needed to find out what the connection was between this girl and Keladry.

"Kayolina these are my friends, Sir Merric of Holyrose, Sir Cleon of Kennen, and Sir Owen of Jesslaw. Men the is Kayolina the Shang Griffin. They are going to go to lunch with us. Let's go." He tried to draw the attention away from the sparrows odd behavior.

Kel didn't move and since she was in the doorway nobody else could leave. "Uh Neal? What do I do about the sparrows?" she asked. They still hadn't moved from the floor or her shoulders.

"Oh right." Neal tried to pick Duck up off of her right shoulder but received a small peck and scratch for his efforts. He shrugged. "Just start walking they will get bored and fly away."

Kel followed Neal and the three Knights down the hall. The birds that had been on the floor peeped a fair well and flew back into Neal's rooms. The two on her shoulders dug their tiny claws in and stayed with her. Neal opened the mess hall door and bowed them in. They all gathered trays and food and sat down to begin eating, soon Kel noticed Kaven and Gaven walk in. She waved her arm and they gathered food and came to join them.

"Hey we are going for a ride after lunch do you want to come?" Dom asked the two shang and the blackrobe mage?

Kel brightened up but kept her face smooth. "Of course. I haven't been out in the sunlight for a month."

At the same time Gaven said. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?" she asked. "Gaven I don't need you're permission I am nineteen years old. You don't have to come if you don't want to. Or you can come with us and keep and eye on me. What could happen with a black robe and a healer with me?"

Finally he sighed and caved in. "Fine." was all he said. Then he smiled. "I have a surprise for you. After you get changed into your riding clothes meet me in the stables." Kel gulped down the rest of her food stood up quickly and walked out of the mess hall.

"So are you her brothers or something like that?" Cleon asked the men clearly confused.

Gaven and Kaven glared at him and all the other men at the table. "Something like that." Kaven answered smoothing out his badge that declared him a black robe mage.

A women in a healers smock walked into the mess hall and headed towards Neal. "You're father would like to speak with you for a moment Sir Nealan. Please follow me." Neal excused himself and told his friends he would meet them out at the gate. They finished their meal and headed down to the stables where Kel was waiting for them. She had on a soft russet colored riding tunic and brown breaches two extra jackets and gloves. It wasn't to cold out but she didn't want to get sick right after she was aloud out of bed.

The men watched as Gaven walked up to her and covered her eyes with his hands. Kaven went into the stables and came out leading a huge fully saddled horse. He was a strawberry roan, his cinnamon coat flecked with bits of white, his face, stockings, mane, and tail all solid red-brown. Gaven smiled at Kaven and removed his hands from over Kel's eyes. She stood stock still looking at the giant roan then a small grin escaped from the corners of her mouth. It was a small smile almost nonexistent to the Knights it looked like she was only mildly happy but Gaven knew otherwise.

"Peachblossom. You brought him all the way here from the islands?" She asked Gaven. He nodded and laughed. Kel gave him a kiss on the cheek and then buried her face into Peachblossom's mane. He stomped his feet happy to be reunited with his mistress.

Kel loved her horse. Peachblossom was a temperamental horse who abided only Kel and she was constantly having to keep him away from the more docile horses. She felt that he was her hidden anger and her emotions. When she rode him at his full speed she felt like she was riding an avalanche.

Kel mounted Peachblossom and counted the number of people who would be riding with them including Neal there would be seven. Kel shivered she hated sevens everything bad happened to her in sevens. She was in bed for seven days after she was stabbed seven times by bandits in a fight at the eastern palace. Seven was the number of stories she fell down when she lost her fear of heights. Seven was how old she was when she first battled with an immortal. She still had the scars from that. Kel didn't like sevens. After everyone was all settled they waited by the outside gate of Giantkiller for Neal. After ten minutes he came riding up looking flustered.

"What happened Neal?" Dom asked out of habit.

"My fiancé has decided not to wait for me to come home and is coming to meet me at Fort Steadfast. She will be there in five days." He replied.

The men whistled and made kissing noises at him. Neal blushed and went to take the lead of the small riding party. As he passed by Kel Peachblossom reached out his neck and bit Neal's elbow. Neal yelped and grabbed at it just as Kel scolding her errant horse pulled him away. Neal's elbow skin was cut and bruising the tunic ripped. Neal looked back at the horse and froze. His eyes grew wide as he recognized Peachblossom.

Kel didn't notice his expression and winced in sympathy "Neal I am so sorry Peachblossom is a little aggressive. Are you..."

"That horse." Neal hissed cutting her off. "Where did you get it?" Kel was shocked and didn't reply the look on Neal's face startled her.

"Where did you get it!" Neal was almost yelling now. His face was turning red and he was pointing a shaky finger at Peachblossom.

Kel was getting mad. He had no right to talk to her like that it wasn't like she stole Peachblossom. "I have had him since I was ten. He is my warhorse." she replied in a calm tone.

"Yes but _where _did you get him?" Neal's voice was straining and cracking.

Kayolina was about to reply when Gaven cut in with an icy voice. "Kayolina go to you're rooms now." She looked at him and blinked her eyes.

"Are you kidding me?" She asked incredulously.

"Kaven she is to weak to be riding. Take her to her rooms right now. Leave the horse here I will put him away." Kaven pulled Kel from the saddle and lead her off to her rooms sparrows trailing after her like a scarf in the wind. She kept looking back at Gaven. The truth was he had scared her he never yelled especially not at her. He had never ordered her back to her room or even hit her in anger. She wanted to turn around but Kaven steered her with a steely grip on her arms to her room. She knew he could make her go with magic and his own strength. He was an excellent swordsmen and he trained with the shang for the last four summers. The last time she looked back she saw Gaven standing right in front of Neal talking quickly to him. She wanted to know what they were saying but Kaven pulled her into the building.

Gaven had a lie prepared for this ever since he had found out who Neal was. He was surprised though that Neal had remembered Peachblossom. When he had brought him with them it was the last thing on his mind. Gaven put what he hoped was a sympathetic look on his face. "Kayolina had a cousin who was killed on her way back from Tortall to the Yamani Islands seven years ago. The horse once belonged to her, it arrived when the girl didn't. Kayolina kept it and has had it ever since. She and her cousin were close and she doesn't like to talk about her. I believe you knew her, her name was Keladry she was training as a page but was denied the right to finish and sent back home." Gaven wasn't sure if he had entirely thrown Neal of the sent but he was sure that the others believed him. He looked at all of the men surrounding him these must have been some of her friends Gaven thought. He turned back to Neal. "I'm sorry if you thought anything else." With that he left the men to go put away both the horses and make his excuses to Kel.

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I guess this is kinda a cliffy but this is all you're getting in this chapter. I like this one more than the last one there was just something about that last one I didn't like I just can't figure out what it was. Maybe because Neal was out of character. I really try not to do that because even though this is my story I don't want to disrespect Tamora Pierce. Please review for this one.


	11. Trying to lie to a Griffin

1Everything Belongs to Tamora Pierce.

**Eclipsa:** Ah yes he almost got it but not quiet yet I mean he is somewhat of a meathead right? I do try to be prompt with updating because to me there is nothing more annoying than someone who doesn't update for like months.

**Pie of Doomeh: **Yes poor Neal I feel bad for him too and this is my fic. Kel is going to remember in the next chapter I swear.

**Princess-of-everything:** I know it just irks me when someone makes it so that she had jump before her second year or that she knew Owen. And like Cleon said in Squire what would our lives be without our animals or something like that?

**Amulata: **You are such a good reviewer I hate for you not to understand things. O.K. It isn't that Gaven won't tell her it is that he can't. That's all I'm going to give you for now because the next chapter will explain it all well most of it at least. Everything but what happened durring the week she disappeared that will be explained in like five more chapters. I know how I want to wright it but I haven't yet so I'm not sure how long it will take. And believe me it's good. I really don't mean to confuse you because you are such a nice reviewer unlike myself. Yah peachblossom got him good to make up for the years of having no toy to bite.

**I have tin foil: **!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Did you like those? My computer didn't it is still telling me to go back and fix it. Anyway fair trade organic chocolate is something I have never tried although I have heard of it. Hershey's is great I can't believe you've never heard of it.

**Kiasliana: **Is this the first time you have reviewed for my story? I can't remember anyway, the fact that you don't like Gaven means that I am doing my job as an author and is actually a great complement to me although I didn't mean to piss so many people off with that last chapter. I don't know what to tell you besides using this example: In Lady Knight we had to wait for Kel to find Balyce it didn't just happen just like in my story you have to wait for Kel to remember. Like I said before this is an original fanfiction I'm not going to just skip a bunch of important stuff to make my characters lives easier. Just like in life it is the hardships, pain, love, and adventures that build a story.

**shamrockgirl07:** This chapter will explain a lot to you I think and I like it when surprises happen so it probably won't go as Gaven planned. But I can tell you that Neal is not the one to make her remember. Thanks for you're review I'm glad you still like it I think I pissed of to many people with the last chapter.

Gaven knocked on Kel's door. He was a little nervous but tried not to show it, he had never had to lie to Kel before. He knew it was pointless to try to lie to her but he could still bend the truth. He had practiced for an hour in front of the mirror in the room that he shared with Kaven. Hopefully Kaven had gotten Kel calmed down enough that her emotions would not be out of control. He knew she had a hard month and partly blamed himself for that. The things that she had been through, even the ones she doesn't remember, are not fair he thought. And now before she was even properly healed they would have to leave. He couldn't let her get hurt again. He was supposed to protect her and he couldn't do it with old painful memories hanging around.

Kaven answered Kel's door. He glared at Gaven with eyes that threatened something horrible if he didn't make this right. Gaven looked past him and saw Kel sitting cross-legged on the clean wooden floor still wearing her riding clothes. Her long arms rested on her legs and her scarred palms were face up balanced on her knees. Her eyes were closed and her mouth was partway open, her breathing was slow and even. Nothing stirred around her. The wind coming into the room through the open window did not dare to rustle her hair or clothes. A sparrow sat just as still as she was on the floor in front of her looking up at her. This was a good sign for Gaven. She was meditating and had blocked out the world around her and for the moment that meant him.

He silently walked in and sat on the bed just barely missing a sparrow. It peeped in protest and flew to sit with another on her portable weapons rack. Kaven stood in the open doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. He had shed his normal black robe and was wearing a black tunic and black pants. His glare was still the same. He shut the door quietly and went to lean against the clothespress.

"So what are you going to do now?" Kaven asked.

"We are leaving tomorrow morning. We will go to the nearest port and charter a boat to the Islands." Gaven replied. "We should be home within a week."

Kaven couldn't believe his ears. "Gaven you cannot deny her this. How do you know she doesn't want to remember. Maybe she would remember this time, now that she is here maybe it would stick. You saw the way Sir Nealan looked when he thought that some how he would find a clue as to what happened to his friend." Gaven was silent. Kaven tried a different approach. "Gaven I know that you feel like she was betrayed and in a way she was but you have to let her decide. You can't shelter her forever."

Gaven opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. He looked up into Kaven's eyes. "You weren't there when she came back." he said quietly. "I can still remember waiting for her to arrive. When she didn't come I got worried so I rode to the docks every day for a week. The seventh day I was practicing outside of the facilities and I looked up and she was riding towards me. Her horse looked tired and she was slumped over the saddle. I thought she was dead. She walked around like she was in a dream for five days. She didn't eat, she didn't sleep, she didn't even talk." Gaven looked haunted as he remembered something he had tried to forget.

"Look Gaven. We don't know what happened to her during that week. She didn't get on the boat in Tortall but she somehow made it to Yamani with her horse. The only ones that can answer that are the gods and they aren't talking." Kaven tried to console his friend. "Come on Gaven. She will be at this for awhile why don't you come with me to talk to Numair." Gaven nodded and left the room with Kaven. Before he shut the door he looked back at Kel and let out a worried smile he knew she would be fine but he hated to leave her when she was mad at him. Kaven reached past him grabbed his arm and pulled him away shutting the door behind him.

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Kel sat in the same position for hours. She had calmed down long ago and was now just enjoying the quiet calming alone time that she wanted. She didn't have to worry about who she was to train today or who was lurking behind her hoping to take out some long coming revenge. After a time she caught herself thinking about Dom. He was so easy to talk to and his answers to her questions were always funny even if he didn't mean for them to be. She liked how he treated her as a friend and not as someone to compete with as so many young men did. There was something about him that just made her feel secure, safe enough to let down her guard because she just knew that he would keep her safe. If I didn't know myself better I would say I had a crush on him she thought.

Finally her stomach told her that it was time for dinner. When she got up her body was stiff and her backside hurt from sitting on the hard floor. In the dark room Kel stumbled bumping into all kinds of furniture trying to find, then light, a candle. She found one beside her bed and lit it with the matches provided beside it. A flutter of wings flew in front of her face and she jumped back startled. She looked at her bed and saw a dozen sparrows sitting on her pillow. They all looked at her as if they expected something.

"I don't know why you chose me." she told them feeling silly talking to a group of birds. "But when I leave you will have to stay here with Neal." She thought back to the events of that afternoon. "And it will probably be soon so don't get to comfortable."

She sighed they either understood her or didn't and went to the privy to clean up. She cleaned her teeth and looked up at the small mirror hanging above the sink. It wasn't until then that she noticed her braids were gone. Someone had un-braided her hair while she had slept on the ride out of Scanra. Kel ran her fingers through her lengths of mouse brown hair and smiled. She hadn't had her hair let out for years and now it was half way down her back it had lightened up some from the long hours she spent in the sun but not by much it was still plain and boring. The last time she had it down was when she had gotten her first kiss. She blushed at the memory of the long ago relationship and combed her hair out. She tied it back into a knot at the base of her neck and walked out the door to find a meal contemplating whether she should keep it down or have someone braid it.

It was late and the mess hall was nearly empty so she sat by herself at a circular table near the back. When she was half way finished with her meal Gaven, Kaven, and several other people entered in a tight group. After gathering what food was left they spotted her, and Kaven motioning to them led the way to her table. Kel didn't say a word to Gaven and he didn't speak to her.

It was Kaven who made the introductions. "Kayolina, this is Sir Lady Alanna the Kings Champion, Numair a fellow Black Robe, and Raoul of Goldenlake, commander of the Kings Own. Alanna, Numair, Raoul this is Kayolina the Shang Griffin."

Kel forced a smile. "Hello." That was the only word she said for the whole meal. They were still talking when Kel picked up her empty tray and excused herself. She didn't feel like talking plus they were debating the differences between two new spells which didn't interest her in the slightest.

The sky outside was dark with only a few stars out none of the big constellations yet. Most of the people had already retired to their rooms or the large common room to socialize. Kel didn't feel like doing either of those. The only lights were those in the practice courts and guards towers on either side of the inner gate. She went back to her room and took down every weapon of hers that Gaven had brought with him. She strung her bow and long sword across her back. Then she stuck her battle ax and a pack of her throwing stars on her belt. She grabbed her glaive and a canteen of water and headed towards the practice courts.

The practice courts were empty which suited her well. She lay her small arsenal of weapons out on the packed dirt and surveyed them. She started with something small and challenging, target practice. After setting up a simple target on the far end of the field she started throwing her stars. She walked ten of them in from each outside corner to create an X on the circular target. Then she used a special star, made with jagged edges that sank into the skin and didn't let go, to connect them in the middle. When she was throwing she felt at ease, she could channel her anger, hurt, pain all into that one small star and fling it as hard away from her as she could. When it was embedded in her target she imagined that the target now had all those feelings and had taken them gladly from her. Kel marched over to the target and pulled each star from the damaged wood. She slipped them back into the protective pouch and decided to skip the bow and arrow. She'd had enough target practice and now wanted to stretch her muscles.

Kel didn't notice the guards on the fort wall watching her. It was odd enough to see someone practicing after dark but the weapon that was used next was something they had never seen before. Instead of watching the ground outside their attention was shifted to this unknown warrior.

Kel started to perform the one of the most complicated and longest pattern dance she knew. Amid the twists turns and thrusts she became aware of someone leaning against one of the railings watching her. She ignored whoever it was until she finished the dance with a twirl of the glaive and a stamp of her foot. She turned and saw that the person looking at her was one of the men who had eaten with her, Raoul of Goldenlake. He smiled and walked into the ring now that he was sure he wouldn't loose a limp to the weapon. He had seemed nice at dinner but Kel wasn't sure why he was here. Maybe she would get in trouble for using the practice courts. She hadn't thought of that. But then why would he be smiling she thought.

"You are good with that thing. What is it a glaive? May I?" he asked. She handed it over to him his eyes widened at the weight of it. She watched as he balanced it on one finger then plucked a hair from his head and set it on the blade. He whistled as it was cut down the middle with ease.

"Would you like to do some sword practice with me?" He met her strange eyes with his own dark eyes briefly. Kel saw no hidden intent behind them something made her instantly like and trust him. That was the only good thing she liked about her Griffin Gift she could tell who she could trust and who would make good friends.

"Sure." she agreed. In reality she was happy to be able to fight with someone. It was hard to let out anger at thin air. Raoul unsheathed his sword and began to warm up. Kel watched him as she did the same. She rarely fought against someone as large as he was. She herself was tall but this man was a giant. Kel couldn't help thinking that his stature reminded her of Maggur's only Raoul was somewhat taller.

She met him in the middle of the ring. Kel bowed and raised her sword into the guard position as Raoul followed suit. "Guard." she called out. Raoul swung his sword up in a reverse butterfly pattern and Kel easily blocked it the sound reverberating around them. Kel let him attack her for awhile all the time gaging him. His blows were hard and forceful and she could tell that it would be some time before he tired. He held back and circled her, sword raised.

He smiled. "You are good at this to although I wouldn't expect anything else from a shang. Do you do any jousting?" he asked. Kel nodded yes and ran towards him raising her sword. It was her turn to attack now. She started out her blows just as hard as his. Once he got used to those she started to sneak in some quick tricky moves she had spent years perfecting. She saw an opening in his defenses and went for it. She jarred his sword out of his grip and sent it flying across the practice courts with a twist of her wrist jarring it from his firm grasp. Her sword continued forward and rested on his neck. His breathing was heavy and matched her own, sweat mixed with dirt streaked down his face. Smiling he raised his hands in the air in defeat and chuckled.

"I don't think anyone has beaten me in awhile except the Lioness, noone can beat her." Kel sheathed her sword and went to retrieve his which was laying some distance away. Her body protested every step of the way. She didn't want to show it but after the last month she still needed a little more rest. She heard clapping and calls coming from all around the fort. Kel realized that they were coming from the guards on duty. Some were shouting down telling Raoul that he should retire. Kel looked back at Raoul through her bangs pretending she wasn't. In the islands soldiers would never do that they would be killed for it. She couldn't believe that Raoul was smiling. "Get your eyes back on the ground. It is bad enough that I just got beaten by some young welp but I don't need the whole of Tortall knowing about it." He demanded. His out burst was followed by friendly chuckles from the guards.

On her way back Kel grabbed her water and went to sit down next to the Commander. She had heard stories that this fort was named after him because of a giant he had killed nearby. Looking at him Kel guessed that it wasn't the only giant that he had met. She drank half the water and handed the rest to him to finish off.

"So you joust also. I didn't think shang did that." He questioned.

"When the immortals started to invade the realm a lot of shang got killed. They weren't used to having to fight like that. I know the same thing happened to many other countries. The shang decided that it was time to change how they trained. The lance is a very effective weapon against many of the immortals so we started to learn to use it. I remember taking to it right away." She stopped abruptly. It was so easy to talk to this man and she had opened up like a gibbering child just like with Dom. She had to stop talking like this.

"That is smart. I know we had to train differently in the Own and with the pages and squires. It is more work but it will save lives in the end I suppose." he slapped his knee and got up from the bench with a groan. "You really grave me a workout and I would love to joust against you someday soon I hope. I'll see you at breakfast in the morning Kayolina." He bowed to her and sauntered off.

Kel sat still on the bench. She closed her eyes and relished in the silence. The warm night air wrapped her in a tight comfortable cloak caressing her cheeks and playing with her hair. The crickets softly chirping in the newly plowed fields. She heard owls hooting out to other owls, the wind softly blowing through the trees rustling leaves. She drew all the silence into herself and held it in reserve for when she needed it. Tortall was a strange place and she didn't understand how in all these years she had never been here. She heard and felt rather than saw Gaven sit next to her. She would know his distinctive walk anywhere. She could tell by the way that his soft leather boots shuffled on the dirt ground that he was sorry. Before he could say anything she asked him a question.

"Why haven't we ever been to Tortall?" She asked her eyes still closed.

"You have been a long time ago. You probably just don't remember it." Gaven replied then continued. "So are you going to ask me or not?" He knows me to well Kel thought. She didn't say anything but just turned to looked up at him. "The reason Nealan got so upset about Peachblossom is because he looks like a horse that a friend of his had once. She died young and he still hasn't gotten over it." Gaven kicked himself for using such a lame lie but he knew to keep it simple with Keladry.

"He said something about her this morning." Kel said quietly. She shocked herself by saying, "Gaven I don't want to leave tomorrow. Knowing you you were planning on it but I like it here. Everything is so different. I feel like I am supposed to be here. Like this is where I fit." She looked down at her hands and picked at a blister.

Gaven let out a heavy sigh. "Kayolina I had wanted to leave in the morning but I was talking to Alanna and she said that the King wants to meet you. I would have told you at dinner but you weren't talking to me. I think that we owe it to him since he did help save your life."

"When are we leaving?" she asked. "Where are we going?"

"He is at Fort Steadfast it is about a two days ride from here. They are giving us an escort so we will have to wait till they are assembled. We will be leaving in several days weather permitting." He was silent for some time. Kel lay her head down on his shoulder and shut her eyes.

"Gaven do you ever miss your family?" she asked. Kel felt him stiffen and waited for a reply. It never came. Gaven didn't like to talk about his family they were everything he wasn't. His mother gave him away to the shang when he was small because he was the product of an affair his noble mother had with her slave. "I wish I knew where I was from. I wish I knew my family." she was quiet again and so was Gaven. "I'm glad that I have you."

His heart sank. She trusted him more than anything in the world and he was lying to her and had been lying to her for years. It made him sick inside and hate himself for everything that he had ever done. Gaven leaned down and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "I'm glad I have you to." he whispered. They sat in companionable silence as Kel slowly drifted into a calming sleep. Gaven gathered her in his arms for a second time that week and took her to her rooms to sleep. He called out to one of the stable boys to bring in her weapons.

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Wow. This chapter was really hard for me. I think the last part was the hardest. I have no idea who my real parents are ,they tried to contact me when I was twelve but I didn't want to meet them and I never will, so that last part just flowed out of me. I guess it is kinda bitter of me but my mother had me when she was addicted to drugs and skipped out at the hospital so she didn't have to pay. I have a Gaven in my life (the one who threw the knife at me and got me my kitten). He isn't my real brother, but he is all I have. We lived in the same home in England then moved to Florida when I was fourteen to live with his grandmother then moved back with him when he finished college and got a job in advertising. When my parents tried to contact me I asked them if they could name Brogan as my legal guardian. The adoption agency accepted it and he adopted me when I was fifteen. He is five years older than me. So because of that I am dedicating this whole story to him. He is a brother a father a mother and my best friend I love you Brogan.

Also I am encouraging everyone of you to give to you're local adoption agency or when you get older adopt a kid of your own when you are older. And you don't always have to give money give old toys, clothes, food, or even you're time.


	12. How to Remember

I own nothing; it all belongs to Tamora Pierce.

This chapter took alittle bit more time coming than usual because the power cord to my stupid laptop broke and I had to order another one. There goes another 100 out the window and it takes like four days to get here. I backed up the files on a flash drive before my laptop lost power but I couldn't get it onto Brogans laptop. God must be against me this week.

**Sarra's Wildchild**: Gaven didn't lie he told her the truth just a half truth and not really even that she was in Tortall before she doesn't remember, and Peachblossom was Neal's friends horse.

**AMulata**: that's good for Nicola, and it's not too weird I think it is good for the child to have a decision about who adopts them. The only weird thing is what do you call them? Some times I call Brogan daddy just to make him mad. Yes patience is a vary good virtue to possess and I did my best to answer everybody's questions with this chapter hope you enjoy.

**Theknightofkonaha**: I have to read the two chapters before the one I am writing before I write it. It helps by the way if you get confused. God knows I had to do it a lot. Thanks for the complement.

**Princess-of-everything**: I know I probably sound like Neal when I say this but emotions, and passion are life. What would life be like without them? I hope you like this new chapter I worked hard on it. Did you get my email?

**Shamrockgirl07**: I love Raoul's character so I just had to put him in here somewhere. I think that is why I made this story like I did. The relationship that Kel and Gaven have is a lot like mine and Brogans. Not the story but how they look out for each other.

**Pie of Doomeh**: Yah for the word of the week. Thanks for loving my story I'm glad I have such faithful reviewers. I don't know if I would call my life hard because I know some people who had it worse than I did but it certainly was different. If I had a choice I don't think I would change it though.

**Sunlit shadows**: I know not enough fluffyness I agree but that will be remedied in the coming chapters. Not right away but give me _like_ three more chapters and we will have a kiss. 1

Enjoy and check out my other fics I must say that I love my Owen fic. He is so cute.

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Numair Salmalin had been standing on the wall scrying when he heard the soldiers calling out, jeering at Raoul. He had watched the fight with interest and smiled at the result. He strained his ears listening to the conversation and watching as Raoul left for his own rooms. Numair stood watching the Shang Griffin. He had heard about her strange magic from Kaven and wanted to test it for himself so he reached out to her with his gift. Numair could see a soft golden glow about her and reached out to feel it. Something blocked his way it was like a cold blanket and felt like sleep. He pushed at it then withdrew his gift quickly. He looked down at his real hand and saw burn marks covering it from his finger tips to his knuckles. They slowly faded it was like they had never been there. A warning Numair thought. Now he knew what it was that was blocking him. He had seen it on Jon and Alanna before, the Shang Griffin was being watched over by a god and a strong one at that. He continued to watch on as the Shang Raven sat down next to her. He listened to their conversation and felt a pang in his heart for her. He knew Piere and Ilane and knew how their lives had changed since Kels death. She was so close to them, three days ride at the most and she didn't even know it. Numair returned to his room to think just as Gaven was bringing Kel into her own.

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Kel didn't mean to fall asleep on Gaven's shoulder, she wasn't even tired. As soon as she was asleep she fell into the dream that had been plaguing her for a month. It had been seven days since the last dream. She missed the dreams because with them she slept soundly without them she slept fitfully. This time when she was beckoned into the star room, as she had started to think of it as, she saw the man standing by the light again. She walked up to him with apprehension she felt that something was wrong, this time something was different. Kel remembered what the man had said in her last dream that it was time for her to remember. She had conveniently forgotten about it until then.

"I am Ganiel the dream God. It is time for you to remember." His voice made Kel shiver cutting through her like a dagger made from ice ringing clearly in her ears. Kel look at his hands the only part of him that was visible and noticed that they were deathly white.

She wanted to run to be anywhere but here. Something inside her revolted she didn't want to remember what ever it was. She started to back up and turned to run but the man that had been ten feet away from here appeared right in front of her.

"My daughter you have no choice. You have to remember it has been to long. It took me seven days to find you since we talked in your last dream. I have now found your human body and it is time for you to remember what we made you forget seven years ago." He reached his hand out to her. The hand looked like curdled milk, the skin looked like it was crawling with slimy white maggots.

"Who made me forget?" She asked desperately anything to stop that deathly white hand from touching her. At the same time she couldn't help thinking not more sevens.

"All will be revealed with time my daughter. Close your eyes and dream. Remember. Take my hand."

Kel took his revolting hand and a warm sensation ran up her arm and through her blood. She started to glow and the sensation became colder much colder. She felt racking shivers run through her body the shivers hurt more than anything that she had ever felt in her life. She couldn't take it and blacked out she fell to the floor with Ganiel standing watch over her physical and dream body. Ganiel's body became more transparent but still held onto her hand.

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Numair was sitting at the desk in his room still contemplating who it may be that was watching over Keladry. Does she even know he thought? With a sigh he heaved himself out of the chair and stretched his back. He reached high above his head with his hands and he heard several cracks coming from his spine. He had to get some taller furniture. He smiled when he remembered that Daine had said she felt like a child when she sat in his chairs and her feet didn't touch the ground. He looked at her sleeping on the bed. Her soft smoky brown curls were partially covering her face. He reached out to brush them away and stopped short. He felt a tug at his core, at the place where he kept his gift inside his body. He felt another tug before he yelled and ran out the door Daine pulling on her housecoat and running after him. He nearly collided with Alanna on his way down the hall. Her fiery red hair was flying around her face and she was still wearing the same clothes from dinner.

"What is that?" She yelled at Numair. "Where is it coming from?" She wasn't looking and ran over Neal who was running out into the hall at the same time.

"Stop!" Numair yelled. "Wait till you feel the tug again then we follow it." All three of them waited for it and when it came they all felt a nauseating churn in their stomachs. They were close to the source. Numair saw the glow of their combined gifts flowing into the key hole of the door on his right. He motioned to Alanna, Neal, and Daine then barged into the room. The first thing that he saw was Kaven his head bent and hands resting on the base board of the bed. He thought that it was him taking their gifts but Alanna pulled him over to the right side of the bed and he saw what it really was. A transparent figure in a hood was floating three feet over the bed. It had a direct line of silvery thread ran from Kaven's forehead too the spirit.

Numair was concentrating on Kaven and hadn't even noticed that there was someone in the bed.

"Oh gods, Keladry." Alanna yelled. Numair finally looked down and saw. Kel was lying in the bed her whole face was deathly white, puffs of white air came out of her open mouth. Her white face was contorted in pain and she let out small screams and her body shook in spasms of pain. Gaven who had been sitting in the corner made his presence known by speaking.

"He is making her remember everything. When she wakes up she will know who she is. He told me he was Ganiel the Dream God." he said pointing to the white apparition hovering over the bed. "He is getting most of his power from Kaven but he needed more. I think Kel is fighting him, I don't think she wants to remember. It's all my fault." He put his head in his hands and tears streamed down his cheeks.

Gasps and whispers were heard coming from the open door. Dom stood in the doorway; he had thrown on a pair of breaches and hurriedly tucked his night shirt into them. He had shoved on his boots and left them unlaced, and held a naked sword in his right hand. People were arrayed at his back all in similar appearances having either heard the noise or felt the tug. He turned and started to push the onlookers out of the doorway telling them to go to sleep that everything was fine. Dom shut the door and leaned against the inside of it looking at the bed.

Neal couldn't believe his eyes he was close enough to touch a god. He was reaching out his hand to feel the smoke when the conversation that had been going on around him registered to his ears. He straightened up and looked at Alanna.

"You said the wrong name Alanna. Her name is Kayolina not Keladry. Keladry is dead you know that and so do I. I don't know who she really is but she can't be Kel. I would know. She is... was my best friend." Neal looked at Alanna with desperation. She looked away and towards the ground. Ganiel tugged at their magic again this time it was only a small tug. With that tug came a small scream from Kel. By now her throat was raw and it was more of a squeak.

I would have known Neal thought. I spent all that time with her and I didn't notice, I gave up hope and she was still alive. His knees hit the floor as they buckled out from under him. "I would have known..." he trailed off in disbelief. Then something inside him snapped. He sprang up onto his feet and threw himself across the room at Gaven. He started to reign down blows on him at the same time injuring himself in the process. He didn't care that he was getting into unarmed combat with a shang all he cared about was the feeling of hate he had towards the man in front of him. He felt hands pulling him away and he noticed that Gaven hadn't been fighting back.

Neal lunged at Gaven's slumped form but was held back by Dom and Alanna's strong grips on his forearms. "You knew!" He yelled. "You knew who she was and you didn't tell her, you didn't even try. I almost killed myself when she went missing. I thought it was my fault because I was supposed to go with her to Mindelan but I bailed out because I wanted to be there when the new court ladies came. I told her I would meet her at the port and she never came. It was my fault and I blamed myself. You can't just keep her from her family and friends. We love her too." He collapsed of the floor again in harsh racking sobs.

Alanna didn't think she had ever seen Neal cry not even when he had taken an arrow in the shoulder. It disturbed her so much that she knelt down beside him and pulled his head against her shoulder smoothing his hair. She had done the same thing for all her children; her former squire was no different.

"I tried to tell her but she would forget the conversation the next day at the most sometimes minutes later. It was like she lost a year of her life. She didn't remember her family, anything about Tortall, or what happened during the week she disappeared. I made the decision not to tell her parents because she just wouldn't remember them. I'm sorry to have done this to you and it is my fault that she went alone to that boat. I was supposed to meet her in Tortall but I didn't go because I was mad at her for leaving the first time." Gaven said quietly from the corner.

Everyone was looking at the two men and the room was silent. No one noticed that the magical pulls had stopped. Dom had some inkling of what his cousin was feeling. He had written to him so many times about it and he felt for his cousin. He remembered when Neal had almost quit training from the guilt. He knew that Neal couldn't even talk to Kel's parents though now he goes to their fief every year during the summer. At the same time he feared for Kel she looked like she was in so much pain.

The god above the bed was moving to an upright position It formed legs and landed on the ground. His faceless hood turned first to Neal and then to Gaven. "It is not your fault what happened to Keladry. Do you not think that there was a reason that you did not go with her? Gods can be extremely persuasive when we want to be and we wanted to be. She will remember and she will know. Do not blame yourselves it was the gods will that she not remember."

While he was talking he had started to disappear and with the last words he was nothing more than a thick cloud of smoke. The smoke weaved through them caressing their cheeks and promising good dreams. A sharp cold wind blew against the shutters throwing them open. The smoke drifted out of the window and up into the sky disappearing in the wind.

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See now everybody knows who Kel is and now Kel knows who Kel is and now it won't be confusing at all.

This chapter was kind of short but don't complain because I answered a lot of questions for you I hope. I am once again going to enforce my mind control powers and make you review. Do you feel it? The little hand (or whatever you have) on you're computer is moving over to the nice purple box. You can't help it you are clicking and writing me a nice long review. And for those people who read this and don't review this is you first out of two warnings before I take drastic measures.


	13. Don't anger a Griffin

1A/N: IMPORTANT!!!!! Yesterday I finally got the last book of the Shamers Chronicles and I realized that I had used some of the aspects from that book to mold Kel's gift. It wasn't intentional I swear but the main character in those books has what is called the Shamers gift. She can look into their eyes and tell if they are lying and make them tell the truth. I didn't mean to do it I meant for it to be more like a griffins gift. So to clarify what it is Kel can do here is a small list.

She can tell if someone is lying but she cannot make them tell the truth.

She can see through spells and illusions. They are just a smokey transparent image to her.

People can lie around her but not to her.

I think that is about it but I just wanted to clarify that so I didn't get sued by Lene Kaaberbol. And to any of you who haven't read her books get to it. They are brilliant.

This chapter took longer than usual to update because we went on a camping trip. We do this every year and this time we brought five friends with us so we stayed longer. We hike out to our camping spot and stay their. Brogan is a photographer so we go hiking on different paths each day and come back with tons of photographs. We only take clothes, tents, jugs for water, fishing stuff, guns, bow and arrows (just in case), cooking stuff, and medical stuff because I **always** get hurt. We really rough it. We go to the same camping site it is right on the side of a freshwater river with a lot of fish in it to eat. If none of you have ever really gone camping like with only bringing what you can carry on you're back you should. You can really get in touch with nature even when it is so cold.

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**Jennyvre Moss: **Believe me I am relieved too that everyone knows. It makes me so happy.

**theknightofkanoha: **Yes no more confusion at least I hope not.

**Amulata: **I don't mind the questions really. If I don't want to answer them than I won't. As to you're only question, honestly I'm not sure. If she does then it will be in a sequel. I haven't come up eith anything in my head yet but that doesn't mean I won't have a bigger destiny for her. But even if I don't write it she still has a bigger destiny.

**shamrockgirl07: **I don't think I would have liked it if she had kept it a secret. I'm glad you liked how I did it I thought people would think it was to cheesy or fake that I made it so everyone was there.

**Pie of Doomeh: **Giggle yah that's a good work of the week, mine is hiccup. Yah I guess I am optimistic I try to look on the bright side of everything and even if there doesn't look like there is a bright side I always try to find it. Just read on to see what happens when Kel wakes up although this is not my favorite chapter.

**Luna Dust: **Yes Emotions are the best. And wow I love that this is one of you're favorite Fics.

**Princess-of-everything: **I felt bad for Neal to I mean can you imagine finding out that you're best friend who you thought was dead was really alive?

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle: **Wow four reviews thanks. Ummmm... Not sure about the Kel getting mad at Gaven and Kaven thing. They definately will have a guilt trip but not in this chapter. I am so cruel to my characters aren't I? Oh well hope you like the new chapter.

**JaBoyYah: **here is the new chapter and I know it took longer than usual but we went on a camping trip this week.

**Swift Shadow: **Yes bug people to review for my stories!!! I don't know anybody that reads Fanfiction so I can't bug anybody I know so I will charge you with that task if you accept it if not than I will have to ask somebody else.

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When Kel woke up she didn't want to open her eyes. Her head felt like it was going to split open, almost like it was to full of something. She had the strangest dream that night it had almost felt real. She moved legs that felt like tree trunks and heard small peeps of protests. She smiled and opened her eyes to see light streaming in the open window. Then she frowned. Her first thought was why weren't the windows shut Joren or one of his cronies could wreak havoc on her things. Her second thought was what brought her jumping out of her bed. It was about eight in the morning and noone had woken her. She was already late for breakfast and now training, Wyldon was going to kill her. She sat back down on the bed. No that was the dream she thought. A vivid dream but just a dream. No that wasn't right either. Kel looked at the window again and saw a figure sitting in the chair under it.

"Neal." she whispered. He was asleep with his head leaning against the wall. In his hands he held a Yamani lucky waving cat. She recognized it as the one that she had given to him before she left Tortall. Everything came rushing back to her. The dream was real that had really happened. She had been a page in Tortall but wasn't allowed to stay so she went back to the islands to continue with her shang training. Neal had been her best friend and the sparrows her's.

She went to Neal and knelt down beside him tears were building up behind her eyes and she tried to blink them away. She put out her hand and touched his and Neal's head snapped up eyes wide open.

Neal looked down into her eyes and saw the tears. She remembers me he thought with joy. He had secretly been afraid that she wouldn't remember or wouldn't want anything to do with him. He stood up and pulled her into a fierce hug not willing to let her go. Kel returned the hug with enthusiasm questions filling her head. She pulled back and sat back down on her bed Neal sat beside her. He pulled her into another strong hug and held onto her right hand.

They sat in silence for a time both collecting their thoughts trying to think of what to ask first. Finally Kel started the conversation.

"Neal I have so many questions. First how are you?"

"I am doing great. I became a Knight last year and have been traveling with Alanna working on refugee camps. Alanna was my knight master and she taught me how to heal and I am a lot better at it now than before. I have spent the last four summers with your family and that is where I met my fiancé." He stopped to take a breath and threatened to continue on before Kel interupted him.

Kel smiled forgetting to hide her emotions, "How is my family?

"They are doing great. Anders son is in his last year of page training. I am thinking of taking him on as my squire. You're niece Rebeka is in her first year as a page. There are five girl pages now they are all in first and second year no Knights of Squires yet but they will all do great. You're brother Inness took Cleon as a squire. You remember Cleon right?" Kel nodded yes. "You're mother and father are at home for awhile, they mostly stay at the Mindelan now. You're sisters are both married and love their husbands."

Kel was happy for them she was glad that their lives hadn't been ruined because of her. Now Kel knew who those men had been in Neals room at lunch. "What about Merric, Cleon, Faleron, Roald, everyone?"

"They are good too. Cleon is married I think her name is Ermalie or something like that. All the first year Knights but myself got put on border patrol right away. Noone died but from what I heard it was rough. We all are still good friends we even took on another member to our study group, Owen of Jesslaw, he ate lunch with us yesterday. You will like Owen he is funny and had a strange sense of humor. He is a little scrap of a man but he sure helped us with bully patrols when we were pages."

"You still did that after I left?" Kel asked.

"Of coarse. We stopped hazing for good. Older pages still have the first years do stupid things like go get riding gloves but that is not a problem. The bullying stopped at least."

Kel was afraid to ask the next question but knew that she had to ask it she almost feared the answer. "What happened to Joren,Vincent, Zahir, and Garvey?"

Neal was silent for a moment then answered. "Zahir changed. After the first year he stopped being friends with Joren. He thought that Joren had you killed and didn't want to be part of that. He told me once that bullying was one thing but what Joren did was another. He stopped bullying after that but he didn't join our group. He was chosen to be the Kings squire. Garvey still bullied with Joren but not very long after the second year. They were still friends but not close." he paused. "Vincent went into his ordeal and came out admitting to raping seven women and murdering five women in the lower city. He didn't get to be a Knight and hasn't been heard of since. One of the women that he raped was working in the Squires wing at the time and after the trial I convinced Yuki, my fiancé, to take her on as a maid. The women is a beautiful seamstress and has made dresses for the Queen. We are helping her get enough money to start her own shop in the city. I think that she will do great." He paused for a long second then started again, "Joren went into the Chamber and when it opened he wasn't in it. The walls were covered with his blood but his body wasn't their. We know it was his blood but noone has found his body." Neal shivered. "I was so afraid to go in there when it was my turn."

"You shouldn't be afraid of the Ordeal." Kel said automatically. It was something she said to herself so often that it was natural to reassure someone else. She couldn't believe that the god that she served had killed her childhood enemy. Had she asked it to somehow? No she couldn't have she didn't remember any of that when she started to serve the chamber. But it would have known, she knew that the chamber saw everything. Did it kill Joren because her memory asked it to? Kel shivered then shrugged the thought away to think about on the long ride home.

"Home." she sighed. "I want to leave tomorrow to go see Mamma and Pappa. I have to go tell Gaven. Neal come with me I still want to talk but I have to see Gaven to make arrangements." She went to the wardrobe and pulled out a green dress with russet trim and a pair of slippers. She was glad that Gaven had brought some of her clothes she hated to wear other peoples. "Wait right here Neal I'm going to get changed." With that she went into the privy. She cleaned her teeth but she couldn't find a hair tie or a leather so she brushed it and left it out.

"Can we stop at my room so I can get changed too? I have had these clothes on for two days. That is how long you were asleep you know. I like your hair longer it's pretty." Kel looked at Neal and saw that his dark blue tunic and tan breeches were rumpled and stained with what looked like dried medicine. She smiled same old Neal. She pulled him up from the bed and out the door.

"Alright." she replied and they stopped at his room on the way. He disappeared behind his door and Kel leaned against the wall smiling. She was so relieved that Neal and her talked like there was nothing between them. They had talked like Kel had only been gone for a week, no tension just the way she liked it. Neal opened his door and bowed with a flourish in his fresh green tunic and black breaches. Kel could tell that he had brushed his hair back with his fingers instead of a comb. He hugged her hard and picked her up swinging her around in a circle. If only he would stop hugging me she thought.

"Neal put me down we have to go see Gaven I want to go home." Neal set her down gave her a kiss on the cheek and started to walk down the hall skipping and whistling a merry tune. Kel shook her head at his antics, smiled and went to catch up with him. They were almost to Gaven's rooms when they rounded a corner and came face to face with a group of young men. At once Kel recognized faces among them. Red hair, grey eyes, as tall as a giant that must be Cleon Kel thought. Dark hair even darker eyes tall stature that was Faleron. Dark red hair green eyes shorter height that has to be Merric she thought. At first she was shy about going up to them. She didn't know who knew and who had been told.

What if they don't care she caught herself thinking. That thought was torn away with a crushing bone breaking hug from Cleon. Soon to be followed by tamer yet firm hugs from the others. She looked and saw that Cleon had tears in his eyes and Merric was giving her a watery grin. They talked for a time and she promised them that she would see them at dinner. She had noticed that some of the young men had stayed back. She didn't recognize them but some of them looked somewhat familiar maybe they were from years ahead of her.

When they arrived at Gaven's room he was not alone. A messenger in Mindalen colors was standing by his desk looking over Gavens shoulder as he read a note. Gaven nodded and money changed hands between the shang and the young boy who bowed to them and left the room.

Gaven looked up at Kel and Neal not meeting either of them in the eyes. "I see that you have been catching up with your friends. Your mother and father sent a message they will be at Fort Steadfast waiting for you since we are going there to meet with the King anyway. I believe I heard that your fiancé was to be there also Nealan, are you riding with us?"

"Yes also the rest of the rest of the Knights and Kings Own. The Own has to go back to the King then to Corus for recruiting and the Knights must go to Corus to make their annual reports." Neal said. "We will ride as you're escorts if you would like, it would give us a chance to catch up with Kel."

Neal felt truly happy for the first time in years. Sure he had been happy with Yuki and when he had been made a knight but there was always something holding him back. Now he could be happy all the time he didn't think anything could upset him now.

"I would appreciate that." Gaven replied. He and Neal had talked while Kel slept and had come to an understanding. He felt a respect for Neal who had had to deal with the guilt of having something to do with his best friends death and never knowing that she was still alive. Neal had admitted that what Gaven had done was best not only for Kel but for her family and Gaven was happy that their was someone else looking out for Kel now though he still felt guilty.

"Why don't we go down to the mess hall for breakfast?" Neal asked his stomach growling. Gaven got up and ushered them out of his door shutting it behind them.

Kel could hear the noise from the mess hall outside of it, she hated noise. Kel stopped and remembered the quietness she had gathered up days ago and let it flow over her as Neal opened the door. When she stepped inside the noise quickly stopped as all eyes turned to her. She was vary aware of it but gathered her food and tray without acting like it putting on her Yamani mask. She followed Neal to a table thinking how useless it had been to wish for quiet and sat down with him and Gaven. After she sat the noise resumed but she ignored it she had other things on her mind. Why would the gods want her to forget about Tortall? She had come to terms with being a chosen vassal of a god but not for all of them to take interest in her. What harm could have come from her remembering who she was?

She didn't eat much of her breakfast just pushed it around on her plate so that Gaven thought that she had. She couldn't wait to see her parents and wanted to leave today but she knew her body wasn't up to it. She had so many questions running through her head she couldn't think clearly. She couldn't help herself she was getting upset she hated not knowing things and it was a big insult to her for the gods to mess with her life and not give her a reason. Once she got mad at one thing she go mad about others. She wanted to march right up the King Jonathan and punch him in the nose, she wanted to challenge Wyldon to a duel and not let him live, She wanted to take her rage out on someone but she didn't know who. The anger built up behind her eyes and she started to see everything with a gold tint to it. Somewhere her rational mind was telling her that this wasn't good, that she needed to calm down but she knew she was way beyond that point she had already built up her energy and it had to be let out. The last time this happened she had opened the earth under castle Rathusiack letting the earth devour the burnt mess that was left of it.

Gaven looked up from his tray to reach for the honey and saw Kel's face. His arm paused mid reach. Kel's normally calm facade was twisted in fury, her hands shook in her lap and her whole body quivered in rage. All the tables in the mess hall started to shake, full plates and dishes clattering to the ground as the people tried to back away from them. Benches, chairs, and unoccupied tables overturned themselves and flew against the walls. The mage lights flickered and went out leaving the room only the light coming from the windows.

Kel fought with herself trying to calm down. It was like she was two different people one who was mad at everything and wanted to destroy it all and the real Kel who was mad but understood. The real Kel inside of her head screamed out for Kaven to come and help her.

Gaven knew better than to touch Kel when she was like this he had once and had almost lost his hand. He grabbed Neal who was trying to reach out to her and shook his head. "Go get Kaven!" he yelled. Neal looked at Kel and nodded his head then ran to the door barely missing a chair being thrown against a wall. Just as he got to the door Kaven and Numair ran in their gifts streaming out of them. Numair looked at Neal who pointed towards where Kel was sitting. Both men strode over the Kel and Gaven quickly assessing the situation. The air around her was hot and smelled of ash, Gaven tunic was starting to burn on the edges because he was so close to her the cup of water on the table in front of her was boiling.

Kaven and Numair joined hands and formed a ball of there gifts over Kel. They filled it with there calm rational voices hoping to reach that part of her that was really Kel. When the ball was large enough to fit around her they lowered it over her head and watched as it engulfed her. Instantly the heat lessened and the room stopped shaking. Everyone turned to look at what was happening and where it had all come from.

From somewhere outside of her Kel heard Kaven's voice she was glad that he had come when she called. He was trying to reach her she could hear his voice telling her she was hurting people that she was hurting Gaven. She opened her eyes and saw Gaven had shed his burning shirt and that his chest was red and raw from the heat she saw Neal in much the same shape. Her eyes took in the room and the destruction that she had caused these people. She didn't mean to but something inside her had snapped. Suddenly she was tired to tired to keep up with what she was doing. She closed her eyes again and a tear trickled down her cheek soon joined by many more her whole body hurt. She regained control of her body and banished her traitorous angry self to the back of her mind locking it in place with the last bit of her Griffin Gift that she had.

The bubble surrounding her evaporated and Kel was able to speak. She looked up at Numair. "I'm sorry I tried to control it but it was out of hand. There was nothing I could do I couldn't fight it this time it was almost as bad as what happened at castle Rathusiak."

Kaven put a hand on her shoulder. "We will take care of everything here Kel why don't you go lay down. We will practice more control exercises tonight."

Kel got up and grabbed a basketful of apples from the table. She would leave but she wasn't going to her room she wanted to see her horse.

The people in the mess hall gave her a wide berth scared to even be near her. The magic she had was something they didn't understand and feared. Lord Wyldon stood by the door watching Kel exit the room leaving destruction behind her. He had been thrown against a wall and bombarded with chairs. During the whole episode he had felt pure hatred directed towards him pulsing through the air. He didn't want to admit it but he was scarred. He had to set things right with Keladry but first he had to go to the infirmary and get his broken jaw fixed so he could talk.

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wow this was really long. Hmmm another development in Kels gift. Since it is controlled by her emotions I needed her to get really emotional and now everyone knows what will happen if she gets this emotional. As to what happened at Castle Rathusiak(sp) I will explain that later maybe in the next chapter not sure. Any way I have homework to do so I had better get to doing it. I hate getting a new book and all I want to do is read it but I can't because I have homework which I put off because of camping.


	14. Kissing A Griffin

**WOW!!!! 100+ REVIEWS!!! **I really feel loved and I'm glad so many people like my story. I just hope I can live up to it with my next story. And it really makes me more confident with my novel which I am half way through.

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**Sydelle Rein: **Yah I guess he did deserve it but really it wasn't intentional.

**SarahE7191: **I agree I really like Wyldon in Squire and Knight but unfortunately in my story he didn't get a chance to be like that. And it is perfectly fine that you didn't review I think I update faster than most.

**AMulata: **Make up for the title, how so?

**SwiftShadow: **Spanish is hard but I had to learn Latin, as in the language spoken by ancient Greeks, that was four years of torture. Blasphemy but I think I am worse I have never read a Harry Potter book or seen a movie. I think I am living under a rock but I just never got around to it. They sound interesting and are on my list of books to buy but I want to read the books before I see the movies. Are the movies anything like the books?

**Shamrockgirl07: **I'm not sure about the King. I could write it in but I think he was to far away.

**JaBoyYa: **What do you mean who is Kaven? In my story or in the books cause he isn't in the books he is an OC. As for the camping trip it was fun but cold. We go to Yorkshire Dales National Park and camp near Dent Dale. Don't know if you know where that is but it is beautiful.

**Pie of Doomeh: **The Shamer's War and it was great. I don't want to tell you a lot about it but there are a lot of new characters but I didn't like the ending it left to many questions. How old are you're brothers?

**Theknightofkonaha: **Yah for making sense! Really if you are still confused just reread the story from the beginning.

**Tears of Winter: **You're review made me laugh. I didn't mean for that part to be funny but now when I look at it I see that it kind of was funny.

**Eclipsa: **I have problems controlling my anger too so I can definitely relate to Kel.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle: **Yes this chapter is all about Dom and Kel a subject that I love.

**Lady Azkaban: **I take it that this is princess- of- everything? I'm glad you decided to keep her and now you get to buy cute clothes and things for her.

**Tamorapiercerulz: **Thanks I'm glad you like my story.**1**

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Kel walked quickly yet steadily to the stables trying to draw as little attention to herself as possible. The ground outside was untouched and it looked as if it had been spared from her tirade. She knew that if Kaven hadn't come it would be just as bad out here as it was in the mess hall. She made it to the stables and located Peachblossom's stall safely. The latch on the door was broken so she had to set the basket of apples down and use both hands to heave it open. Once inside she collapsed onto the hay in the corner and put her head in her hands.

She was a lost cause and she knew it she was totally desolate never going to fit in. It was bad enough when I didn't have this_ gift _and now I just distanced myself from people who had been willing to give me a chance. Neal will never want to be friends with me now she thought. I should just leave and never come back why would my family want to see me when they know what I have become. She couldn't count the times that she had asked the gods to take away her burden but they never responded unless it was to give her a new task through the chamber.

Peachblossom nudged her hand with his nose and stamped his feet. It was plain as day that he was telling her to stop with the self pity to just get up and do something and that something was probably to give him a good once over with a brush.

I love my horse she thought as she got up from the ground brushed hey off her clothes and picked up a brush. She went over Peaschblossom's round muscled sides with the comb smoothing out the hair and pulling hay from it as she went along. She worked a fine comb through his main and tail getting out the burs and hay balls that were stuck in it. He had let Gaven brush him but not work out his coat like he did Kel. She was checking his hooves when she heard shuffling near his stall door.

Kel looked up and saw Dom standing in the stall entryway leaning on the frame. She didn't feel like talking so she ignored him hoping he would get the point and move on.

"So..." he drawled holding out the word, "I guess you wanted to make a good first impression as the new you at breakfast?"

Kel dropped the hoof pick she was using shocked at his unusual way of putting it. She was so shocked she let out a small laugh but then thought about what really happened and the laugh turned into a small sob. Dom's smile twisted into a frown and he stepped further into the stall concern outlining his body. Kel was busy controlling her emotions and setting her mask into a stone sculpture reminiscent of her real face that she didn't warn Dom not to get closer. When she straightened up she saw that Peachblossom had Dom cornered and was slowly advancing on him. Kel was annoyed with Dom and she would have let Peachblossom bite him but someone had already mucked out the stalls and she didn't want to have to clean blood off of them as well. She quickly walked up to him and grabbed his arm pulling him through the stall door just as Peachblossom's teeth slammed shut where Dom's head had been. Dom tripped over a bail of hay began to fall and pulled Kel down with him. They landed with a thud the wind blown out of both of them.

They both lay there breathing heavily trying to fill their lungs with air. Dom sat up and coughed. "What did I ever do to that beast?" he asked drawing in another sharp breath.

"Nothing he just likes his space." Kel replied. "Listen, is there some reason you are here, I would really like to be alone for awhile."

"Well I went into the mess hall this morning to get breakfast and there wasn't any and when I heard why and about what happened I thought you might need someone to talk to." Dom was smiling again trying to make fun of the situation.

Kel didn't understand she hardly knew him shouldn't Gaven, Kaven, or even Neal be here doing this? She thought back to a week ago and how Dom had been so easy to talk too and she had felt so comfortable with him. In a way it seemed natural that he was here but she certainly wasn't going to open up to him she didn't even think she was willing to talk to Gaven about this.

"I don't need to talk to anyone about it I just lost control, it shouldn't have happened and I am embarrassed about it. It was hard enough to be normal when I didn't know who my parents were and I was basically a Shang prodigy people just expected me to be good at everything and I made myself be good at everything. I had friends and for a time life was great and then I took my Shang Ordeal early and got this stupid _Gift_. I mean why do they even call it that? If you ask me it has been nothing but a burden. But I still had a few friends and I thought that I had found my place in the world and then Maggur has to come and destroy that. Then after he has almost killed me I get told by a god that I am not the person that I thought I was but that I am really a long lost girl thought to have been killed by a conservative. I remember it all but that is not what makes me mad. What makes me mad is that the gods who did 'what they thought were best for me' and took away the memories won't tell me why they took them away. That and I don't think I can go and meet King Jonathan without burning him to a crisp with anger." Kel's hands were balled into tight fists her nails cutting into the flesh of her palms.

She hadn't meant to say anything, she never did with Dom but it always just happened. She knew most of it didn't make sense but her mouth wasn't talking as fast as her mind was forming thoughts and that was how it came out as a bunch of half formed thoughts. Tears that she had been holding back all morning sprung from her eyes running freely down her cheeks dripping from her chin and making wet splotches on her dress front.

Dom was speechless as he watched the women who had held her own against the King of Scanra cry over something as simple as losing her temper. He knelt down beside her and lifted her up then guided her to a bench next to Peachblossom's stall. "I'm not going to lie and say I understand because there is no way I could understand what you are going through but Keladry you have to believe me when I say you're old friends won't not want to be friends with you because of what you can do. You should see the Lioness's room after she is done with one of her famous outbursts. There isn't a whole vase left in it." He slid his calloused fingers under her chin and lifted it up so she wasn't looking at her hands anymore and only at him. Without any hesitation he looked into her unlimited eyes and fell in letting himself be enveloped in a comforting blanket of gold.

Kel looked into Dom's astonishing blue eyes and saw many things. She saw the love that he had for his family; she saw his courage when battling the metal monsters and immortals that had terrorized the countryside. She saw him giving his rations to a group of Scanran refugee children and saw him pulling a man off of a struggling woman in the streets of Corus. Kel looked deeper and saw his hopes and dreams of a great career in the Kings Own. She saw Dom standing with a woman in his arms children running around their feet laughing with joy and childish cries of delight. She looked closer at the women and pulled pack quickly breaking her contact with Dom's eyes and looking down at her hands once again. Her eyes were wide open and she once again found it hard to breath. Dom was also having his own problems breathing. He didn't know what it was that Kel had seen but he had a feeling from the slight expression on her face that it was something shocking.

Kel built up the courage to look at him again and this time held back her gift looking him in the eyes as a normal person would. Her tears were forgotten and the sorrow and pity replaced with curiosity. The first thing she saw was hey sticking out of Dom's hair at odd angles. She reached up to pull it out and saw a look of adoration on his face and oddly it didn't scare her in the slightest. Kel was lowering her hand after pulling the hey from Dom's hair when he enclosed his larger hand around it. This time it was Kel who was captured in someone else's eyes. She couldn't look away even as she noticed that he was leaning in closer his hot breath against her cheek. He cupped her chin with his other hand and gently planted a soft kiss on her lips.

Kel pulled back quickly and stood up from the bench almost knocking it over in the process. She slammed Peachblossom's stall shut making sure that it was fully latched and turned to Dom. "I can't do this it is too much for now, to much to handle. I'm sorry maybe after I have sorted things out and everything is as normal as it is going to get. I really am sorry." She turned and fled from the stables heading towards her rooms.

Dom watched her fleeting form and sighed. He had kissed her and she hadn't killed him. He was sure that she would have but he couldn't help himself. He didn't blame her for not wanting to complicate things now and he admired her for it. If it was him he probably would have went for it and realized later that he had taken on to much. He was glad, he would rather start a relationship with her when she was settled and didn't rush into things. She didn't strike him as that kind of person but he didn't want to take advantage of her. Besides she had said maybe later and that she was sorry and really sounded like she was sorry that she couldn't be with him now. And that was good enough for him he would wait for her with only the memory of that soft kiss and the soft feel of her skin. It would give him plenty of time to get to know her as a person.

Dom pushed himself up from the bench and walked past Peachblossom's stall eying the horse. He noticed a basket of apples sitting on the ground outside of it. He bent down and picked up the basket thinking to take it back to his room with him when his eyes once again rested on the strawberry roan who was looking at him with a measuring eye. Dom picked out a brilliantly red apple and tossed it into the air watching Peachblossom's eyes follow it up and down. Dom set the apple on the door of Peachblossom's stall ready to yank his hand away at any moment. He waited as the horse eyed first Dom then the apple. Peachblossom stretched out his neck and took the apple into his mouth all at once. He chomped on it his eyes never leaving the man in front of him as he chewed. Dom took a step closer and held out another apple to the beast this time leaving it in his palm and thrusting it dangerously close to Peachblossom's nose. The horse took it from him without hesitation. Dom smiled and lined three more apples up on the stall door and left one for himself. He bowed to Peachblossom mockingly and walked out of the stables with one hand in his pockets a smile plastered on his face, humming a happy tune.

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Wow can you say fluff? I'm not sure if I am good at writing fluff but let me know if I am seeing as how this story is a love story. Also I know this is kind of short but it ended happy and on a lovely scene don't you agree?

As to the drastic measures that I was talking about two chapters ago this is everyone's last warning. If you are reading this story and aren't going to review I just want you to know that I am building a machine that is full of drastic measures and is just itching to perform them. So once again you have been warned. And for those people who don't respond well to threats (of which I am one) I will resort to pleading. Please please please please please review I love them.


	15. Confrontations

Please don't kill me I have been really busy with homework and everything else. My Dell laptop died and nothing on my flash drive will convert over to my Mac so I had to wait for another computer. I just bought a Gateway CX210S. It's one of those swivel one's that you can turn over and write on. Does anyone have one? Have you had any problems with it? Anyway that is why this took so long. The next chapter might take just as long depending on when it gets here.

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**Eclipsa: **Yes I love fluff too!!!

**Swiftshadow: **I am going to get the books I swear. That is one reason I don't want them to make Tamora Pierce books into a movie. I know how I think the characters look and everyone has a different idea. Everybody just keep reading them and make them popular that way. That is why I didn't see Eragon. The book was long so they had to have deleted a lot of stuff.

**Pie of Doomeh: **Nooooooooooo!!!!!! You have found my weakness. Now you will use it against me to destroy me. (Hopefully not because let me point out that would mean no more chapters). hangs head in shame I try to break them up but it is one of my biggest weaknesses in writing, that and spelling. Thank God for spell checker. (did I spell spell checker wrong?)

**Theknightofkonaha: **Exactly! It's different and subtle. I liked it. I mean this is level headed Kel I am writing about here she would never get into a full make out session with someone she only knew for a month.

**Luna A. Dust: **I put that Peachblossom thing in as an after thought right before I posted. I'm glad you liked it.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle: **It wasn't fluff like if you get your foot stuck in it, it is never going to come out fluff. It is 'Oh this is nice I could fall asleep right now on my new pillow' kinda fluff. Or think of it this way. There is a huge ice-cream filled cake sitting in your kitchen. Tonight you get one lick of the frosting and have to wait till tomorrow for the rest.

**Lady Azkaban: **Thank you so much. I can't wait to finish it and send it to some publishers. I am doing the cover art too so but I have to get it picked up first. Most of all I can't wait for my first fan to write a fanfiction about my book!!!!!!

Thanks for the reviews everyone! Please check out my other fics although I haven't updated on them for awhile.

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Kel ordered her meal to got o her room that night and didn't leave it for anything. When Gaven brought the meal in he stayed to talk.

"So that hasn't happened in awhile, not since you killed Balyce. What happened?" he asked.

Kel blew on the steaming soup while she thought how to answer him. "I was thinking about how unfair it was. I mean what was the harm in me knowing what happened to me? Why couldn't you tell me I know you knew?"

"Kel I tried to tell you but you would forget the very next day sometimes the next hour. I tried everything believe me but you would always forget again. I guess I should have told you're parents but I thought it might hurt them more to have a daughter who can't even remember them. You were only three when you left Tortall so you hardly had any memories about it anyway and you only saw you're family twice a year so I guess there wasn't much for you to remember." He looked sorry and his voice was pleading with her to understand.

"Gaven I'm not mad at you if that is what you think. I'm mad at stupid meddling gods. They have no right to do what they do. I'm almost afraid to go to sleep again because they might come and take the memories back and leave me with nothing again." she took a bite from the biscuits to give herself time to think.

Gave picked up the other and shredded it for the birds to eat. "We are leaving tomorrow morning to see you're parents and the King." He paused. "Do you think you can handle that?"

Kel thought for a moment. She wanted nothing more than to see her parents again and explain why she had forgotten them but the King was another matter. "I think I will be fine. I will work on the control exercises tonight with Kaven and since this happened today I doubt it will happen again for a long time. It has only happened four times in three years."

Gaven nodded his head and continued feeding the sparrows. When he was out of bread and Kel was finished with her meal he left to find Kaven.

Kaven and Kel spent three hours working on controlling different emotions and by the time she fell asleep she had a firm mask on her face that could not be lifted.

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The next morning Kel was packed and dressed by breakfast time. She carried her bags out with her to the stables and Peachblossoms stall. She patted Peachblossoms round side and went over to see to her saddle. Her saddle was one of the most expensive things that she owned. It was dark wood with soft brown leather fittings. Each stud that was set into it had a small griffin engraved onto it, the saddle horn had a griffin burned into the leather. It came with high quality saddle bags made from the same leather. The saddle bags looked ordinary on the outside but were fitted with small and large compartments on the inside that held useful things such as: flint and steel, an oiled pouch full of tinder; small iron pots and a plate and bowl set, all of which fit together; a hank of light, strong rope; tooth cleaning powder; a tidy sewing kit; hooks and line for fishing; and waterproof hat. Gaven had given it to her when she had taken her Shang Ordeal and had the griffins engraved on it after.

She cleaned it of with a soft leather cloth going over every inch lovingly before she went over Peachblossom again with a brush. She saddled him and led him out of the stall to the group of people waiting in the open ground between the stables and the gates. She noticed two squads of the Kings Own and among the Lord Raoul and to her delight Dom. The Lioness stood by Neal laughing with him and a few other Knights some she recognized others she didn't. Kel was scared to talk to her. Even in the islands she had been Kel's hero; although now she knew why she admired her so much. She looked for Kaven and Gaven and saw them talking with a tall plainly dressed man who looked to be in charge. The top of the man's head was completely bald and what was left of his hair was cropped short and a light brown color, a scar ran from his right eye to his ear running a track over his temple and through his hair. Kel almost stopped walking when she recognized him but continued on her way the controlling exercises taking a hard grip on her. She walked stiffly through the crowd not knowing that all eyes were on her and her destination.

When she got to Gaven and Kaven she nodded curtly to Lord Wyldon and held out her hand for him to shake. He took it and gave her a firm reassuring shake, conveying through it that he wasn't afraid of her and thought of her as a an equal. Kel was surprised that he could convey so much with just a hand shake.

He's changed she realized. She hadn't even thought about him since Neal had told her about the other girls trying for their shields. She thought back to what she remembered of him and how stiff he had been his back always straight, his shoulders squared, his clothes perfectly pressed and never dirty. The man who stood before her now looked different. His clothes still perfect were not pressed into fine creases, his hair was not much longer but not as closely cropped, his back was straight and his shoulders squared but it was obvious that he wasn't as stiff as the stump she used to know. Then he did the oddest think something that Kel never expected him to do something that she would spend the whole ride to Fort steadfast thinking about. He smiled.

"How are you this morning Keladry?" he asked.

"Fine, and you my lord?" she stammered out.

"Very well thank you." He replied. Wyldon turned to face the group of soldiers to see if everyone who was riding with them was assembled. When he was satisfied he yelled out for everyone to mount up.

Has anyone ever mounted down Kel thought but did as she was told. They rode out of the gate bringing up dust behind them. Kel rode alongside Gaven contemplating what had just passed between her and Wyldon. It's not as if I forgive him she thought I'm just not as mad at him as I thought I would be. She was still baffled by the smile and what most disturbed her was his appearance. She soon stopped thinking about Wyldon and started to think about her patents. She was nervous yet excited to see them. She was afraid that they would be mad at her or not want her. She laughed at herself right after thinking that, her parents would love her no matter what just as she loved them. She had talked to Neal about her family so she knew what had happened while she was gone but there were still so many questions she had.

She was thinking hard and didn't notice that Dom had dropped back to ride with her. It wasn't until he offered her a piece of dried fruit that she noticed him and her hunger. She reached for it and Peachblossom snapped at Dom's black horse. Their fingers brushed together and they both blushed, Kel almost unnoticed, Dom bright red. They rode in companionable silence for a time.

"I heard from some of my men that you beat a certain commander of mine at sword practice several nights ago." Dom said loud enough for Raoul who was riding in front of them to hear.

"Don't make me regret promoting you captain. Now get you're self up here and leave the Shang Griffin alone." Raoul called back without missing a beat.

Dom gave Kel a crooked smile which made her heart melt and rode to join ranks with Raoul. Almost immediately his spot was filled with another man. Kel ignored whoever it was for a time but then curiosity overcame her and she looked over. She nearly fell of her horse when she saw that it was Lord Wyldon. Instead she sat up straight on her horse and quickly checked that everything was in place and that her saddle was done up properly. She gulped and continued on at a steady pace.

When it became apparent to Wyldon that she wasn't going to speak he started up a conversation. "I see that you still have the horse what's his name, Appleblossom?"

"Peachblossom, sir."

"Right, I see that you've become a warrior despite me. Congratulations."

Kel knew her eyes were as wide as saucers. Is he trying to apologize, she thought? "Yes sir but what do you mean despite you. You were a great Training Master." she said before she could stop herself. She knew he was good at training it was obvious from all of the successful knights that he had created.

Wyldon didn't reply for some time and when he finally did his voice was soft. "Keladry I truly am sorry and no matter what you say I did nothing to help you along the way to becoming what you are. I'm not even going to pretend like I had anything to do with you're success."

Kel couldn't stop herself from blurting out the first thing that came to her mind. "What made the other girls different than me, why did you let them stay and not me? I mean not that I am upset about that, I am proud of them, but why them and not me?"

Wyldon mulled the question over before giving her his final answer. He knew that if he messed this up he would have a guilty conscience for the rest of his life. "They weren't different Mindalen if it hadn't been for you then I wouldn't have let them stay. I let them stay and encouraged them because of you. To make up for the great mistake that I made with you. From the moment you walked out of my office after I dismissed you I knew I was wrong. Not a day has gone by that I didn't pray for you even after you were presumed dead."

Kel was embarrassed to receive such praise from him and suddenly her perception of him changed. This wasn't the same stump she remembered and respected and she wasn't the same probationary page she used to be. Everyone changed and she was glad to see that this time it was for the better. She turned to really look at him again and noticed more grey in what little hair he had left and wrinkles around his eyes and mouth. He's getting older too she thought. Living with the guilt of my death for so long has taken its toll on him she thought and ever other friend I had.

He seemed to be waiting for a reply of some sort but she wasn't sure what. She didn't think he wanted to be forgiven so she settled on asking another question on her own. "How are the girls who are training? Neal told me that my little niece was in her first year and my nephew in his last year as a page. Are they any good?"

Wyldon smiled. "You're niece Jena-Lynne is one of the best archers we have and very smart. You're nephew is good at just about everything although he could use some work with the lance. The other girls mix in well with the boys something I am happy to see."

They continued to talk for the rest of the day occasionally being joined by others including the Lioness, to everyone's amazement. Kel found that she enjoyed his company more than she thought she would and she began to see a side of him she never expected. If this is how it goes with the King than this will be a piece of cake she thought during a lull in a conversation.

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There it is! Not very long or filling but it's something. I hope I get my new computer soon and can get the other chapters up faster.


	16. Coming Home

I'm gonna be an aunt…… or a sister…… Not really sure what to call it. Brogan and his girlfriend are going to have a baby!!!!!!!! I think I will be the Aunt.

Blinks eyes and scrunches up forehead My life is so confusing.

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**Theknightofkanoha: **Yes I am deffinately going through withdraw. I have to use Brogans notebook for everything but he uses it for work so other than homework I can't use it. I liked Wyldon in the books after page so I didn't want him to seem like a total idiot. I think it was the guilt that made him how he is in my story. And in the books I think he and Kel are very much alike and that is why he didn't like her at first because he couldn't take that his traits were in a girl.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle: **I think Dom thinks of Kel every minute. At least in my story he does when he isn't thinking of ways to hurt Neal. Yah you can write on it with a stylist. I can't wait till it gets here.

**SarahE7191: **Things like that are more for weather mages and earth mages like in The Winding Circle series. The reason I did that for when she was angry was because it is the biggest emotion that she has to suppress. Anger, to me, is one of the most dangerous things in the world. When you are angry you say and do things you would never do or even think about doing. They are good suggestions though. I just don't think I could write them in. I'll think on it and maybe come up with something.

**Pie of Doomeh: **Yippy I get to live!!!!!!!! Hmmmmm….. Destroying your brother could have some major consequences. I suggest making up a completely evil character and destroying him in a story. Then you get a best selling novel and you are much calmer. Write what you know is what I always say and I'm sure you know how you want to destroy your brother. Can't wait for the sequel, How I Destroyed My Brothers Smell, which will probably remain after he is gone.

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They arrived at Fort Steadfast during the afternoon of the next day. When Kel saw its solid walls she stopped Peachblossom, gathered her nerves together and wished them away to be carried of by the wind. The wind in response blew at her from behind causing her loose hair to tickle her cheeks and brush in front of her eyes obscuring the view. After a moment she pushed on after Gaven and rode with him in the gate. Hostlers were there waiting for them as were porters waiting to escort them away to their quarters. Two men in Mindelan colors came to Kel, one offering to take her horse the other to take her to her family.

"I had better take care of Peachblossom." she said to the hostler. "He can be somewhat temperamental."

Unexpectedly Wyldon appeared at her side. "Mindelan you go see you're family and let the man do his job." he turned to Peachblossom and pointed a blunt finger at him. "You will not bite and will let these men do what they are being paid to do." Peachblossom snorted what Kel hoped was a reluctant agreement and not an argument as she handed the reins over the confused hostler.

One of the men nodded to her and motioned with his hand for her to follow. Kel grabbed Neal by the wrist and Kaven by the collar ignoring their protests. Gaven stuffed his riding gloves into his pocket and followed them. The man led them down two hallways and up a flight of stairs in the guest quarters. He stopped before a door in the middle of the last hall and knocked on it three times waiting for a reply before they entered. Kel became acutely aware of her appearance, her clothes were travel stained and she smelled of horses and road grime. She knew her companions looked much the same as she did but she reasoned with herself, they weren't meeting a family who they hadn't seen for seven years and who thought they were dead.

"Come in." A melodious firm voice called out. Kel pushed Neal in front of her at the last moment and he stumbled through the open door and into the waiting room. Kel shuffled in behind the other three men and stood with her face towards the ground nervously fiddling with her sword hilt. It all of her control to not show any feeling beyond that.

"Neal it is so good to see you." Ilane exclaimed as she pulled Neal into a hug. He returned the hug and then clasped hands with the men in the room before pulling a short Yamani woman into a loving kiss.

Kel looked up and saw the exchange between her parents and Neal smiling slightly. Behind her parent stood her two oldest brothers Anders and Inness and the Yamani woman. She was somewhat disappointed that her sisters weren't there but they were married now and had families of their own. She also noticed that her brother Conol wasn't there.

Kel's mothers eyes shifted from Neal to the group at the door and picked Kel out from them instantly. Kel noticing her mother's gaze relocated her eyes to the floor, she had promised herself that she wouldn't look into any of her family's eyes. Knowing if they were lying was one thing but she couldn't know what they were really thinking it wasn't fair to them or her.

Gaven cleared his throat and introduced himself and Kaven to the room then shifted so that Kel could be seen by everyone. Before she knew what was happening her mother was standing in front of her; and to her horror Kel realized that they were the same height. Her mother reached out and smoothed down Kel's hair then gently lifted her head up to look at her. Kel allowed her head to be lifted up but diverted her eyes.

"Keladry," Her mother's voice was choking with tears and Kel looked up shocked and ashamed she didn't think she had ever seen her mother cry. Tears were falling unchecked from her mother's eyes as she looked at her long lost daughter. Kel's face was blank she couldn't show the emotions that were overflowing in her for fear of having another experience like in the mess hall.

"Mother I am so sorry." she said her voice cracking with the effort to control herself. She flung herself into her mother's arms and hung to her afraid to let go. It seemed like they stood like that for hours but Kel knew it was only moments either way when a hand rested on her shoulder she was unwilling to let go of the hug.

"Keladry?" Her father asked. Kel left her mothers embrace and let her father's arms encircle her. It was awkward because of his height but Kel didn't care. Her father pushed her gently away from him so he could look her in the face and smiled. Kel looked at his nose trying her best not to look into his eyes. She was then caught in another hug from both of her brothers who had no Yamani training and had tears flowing from there emotion filled faces. Kel let out a giggle and returned their strong hugs.

The emotions flowing through the air were almost as thick as smoke and even the guards placed outside of the room were doing their best not to cry. They didn't notice Neal's ugly dog walking into the room broken tail twitching back and forth demanding attention with a squeaky yet demanding bark. Soon refreshments were being served and they had all taken seats on the many couches and fluffy armchairs decorating the room.

"Kel this is Lady Yukimi noh Daiomoru my fiancé. Yuki this is Lady Keladry of Mindelan the Shang Griffin." Neal said formally. Yuki placed her hands by her sides and bowed to Kel who was doing the same.

"Yuki, you have changed so much since we were children." Kel replied.

"Keladry I was so worried that you wouldn't remember me." Yuki answered bowing again.

After all introductions were done Kel sat between her mother and father answering questions about what happened to her, how she was, and anything else that came to mind. She asked her own questions and was asking one such question when a horn sounded outside three times. Anders stood up and brushed the wrinkles out of his tunic.

"Finally, I'm starving." He stopped short when he noticed that Gaven, Kel, and Kaven were about to run out the door pulling swords from sheathes but had stopped when he mentioned his hunger. They exchanged glances and smiled.

"At the training facilities that would mean we were under attack." Gaven explained. "I guess it means supper here." Everyone else joined in on their laugh and the three relaxed some. As they walked down to the large meeting room that the nobles ate in Kel and Gaven were still on high alert.

When they entered the room Kel noticed the strange group of people sitting around the two large tables. Their were ladies such as her mother who were dressed in their day dresses sitting next to ladies in worn dirty breaches and shirts. Men in high fashion breaking bread with dirty knights. At the head of one table was a man with coal black hair, tanned skin, and bright blue eyes. He had a smile plastered onto his face and an heir of arrogance about himself. Kel noticed that he had small bruises all over his face and hands and when she walked by him he smelled like skunk stink mixed with flowery perfume. The women sitting at the head of the other table had on fashionable breaches and a lovely pink shirt. She was the most beautiful person Kel had ever seen her smile, unlike the mans, was genuine and looked like it belonged on her face at all times. There was something about her that was unsettling to Kel until she placed it, her nose. It didn't belong with her beautiful face.

They were the last people to arrive and as soon as they were seated the man stood up to talk and with his movement the smell wafted over the table.

He raised his hands to gesture to both tables then said in a regal voice. "To Mithros god of warriors and truth and to the Great Mother goddess we give thanks for their bounty."

"We give thanks and praise." responded the guests Kel, Kaven, and Gaven moments after everyone else.

"So mote it be." He finished.

"So mote it be." Everyone intoned.

He sat back down and servants brought food to the tables. It was quiet as people ate talking

idly the clanking of cutlery filling the air. The smell that came from the food was lovely but to Kel it didn't cover up the rank of the King. She looked around the two tables and saw many of the people who had traveled with them. When she caught sight of Alanna she smiled and nodded to Kel then went back to talking to the man beside her. Kel hoped it was her husband because if it wasn't then he was going to be killed by Alanna very soon for grabbing her hand. Her eyes continued over the tables as she tried to convince herself she wasn't looking for anyone in particular. She gave up trying to convince herself and turned back to her food. She cut up her ham and looked at Neal's plate. It was piled with meat, potatoes, and more vegetables than she had on her own.

"Neal, what are you doing?" she asked him. He looked up at her his fork speared with a carrot half way to his mouth and raised an eyebrow at her. She reached over and picked up a bit of broccoli and his face grew red.

"Well I eat vegetables now. They are actually really good I never thought they could be but after you... left... I missed you and I just started to eat vegetables." he said then shoved the carrot into his mouth. Kel didn't let him know but she thought it was kind of sweet that that was how he remembered her.

"Neal where is Dom?" She asked.

"Dom is lucky he gets to eat in the soldiers mess since he is on duty. We would be too but since the King is here then we get to grace him with our presence." he replied. "I myself like this better the food is wonderful, the squash cooked to perfection."

"I feel myself graced Sir Nealan." the King said from farther up the table. Neal hadn't noticed but he had been talking rather loud. Kel heard Alanna snort with laughter at the other table. Neal red faced went back to eating stuffing his mouth full so he wouldn't have to talk.

After everyone was so full they couldn't eat one more bite the King stood again. "Keladry after you are done with you're meal I would greatly appreciate it if you would stay to talk with me."

Kel nodded her head in reply but was kicked in the shin by Kaven. 'Answer him' he mouthed. Kel her face blank stood, "I would be delighted, Your Highness." she answered her voice monotone showing nothing.

As if by cue people started to file out of the room. Alanna, her husband, Raoul, Kel's family, Neal, Yuki, the Queen, Gaven, Kaven, and Wyldon remained in the room. They all gathered around one table sitting near the front. When it became clear to King Jonathan that they were not going to leave he motioned for the servants to clear the tables. When the food was gone the servants filled up everyone's cups and left pitchers on the table before leaving.

Alanna wrinkled her nose. "Are you sure we can't do this outside were there is a breeze?" she asked.

Jonathan glared at her. "If you hadn't been so immature then I wouldn't smell like this and have bruises covering me."

"You have the gift you could just heal them." She replied.

"I refuse to acknowledge that I was beat up by squirrels."

Alanna shrugged her shoulders not even bothering to hide her proud smile. "So Kel I see you have reunited with you're family and Neal. I was hoping that he wouldn't be a bad influence on you so please don't prove me wrong."

Kel's lips twitched into a small smile as she looked at Neal who was currently picking his nails with his belt knife at the dinner table.

"Keladry I would just like to give a formal apology for the entire royal family for what happened. It was just as much our fault as anyone's. We know you should have been permitted to stay but certain influences in the kingdom decided that they would pressure Lord Wyldon." Jonathan was looking at Kel with another smile on his face. His voice dripped with honey.

Kel couldn't believe her ears at first and didn't respond for a time, mostly because she was trying to once again control her anger. Was he honestly trying to blame this all on Lord Wyldon she thought. He says that Wyldon was pressured into it but there wouldn't have been any pressure if he hadn't put me on probation in the first place.

When she could finally speak it wasn't to the King but to the whole room. "I didn't have much time to think about not being allowed to become a Knight before I lost my memory and I still don't know what happened during that week that I was gone. But the one thing I remember is a feeling of being betrayed. I remember that it consumed me to the point that I didn't even think I was good enough to be a Shang still. I remember thinking that since I had failed at being a Knight I wasn't worthy of being a Shang either. I felt betrayed and unwanted." Now she looked at Jonathan. She looked him straight in the eyes so he could feel the full impact of her anger. "And for you to think that I would come crawling back here just because you helped rescue me is disgusting. You are trying to shove all the blame onto Lord Wyldon and the conservatives. As a King you should know that you have the ultimate say and you could have let me stay by lifting a finger. So if it makes you sleep better at night thinking that you have redeemed yourself then by all means go ahead but until you can except what it was that you did I will not forgive you. This doesn't mean that I don't love my country but to love a country you don't have to like their king." She looked away from him and then back down at the table. She took a sip of the water in the cup before her trying to regain her calm. She couldn't believe that she had just talked like that to the King.

Jonathan recovered rather quickly and when he spoke next his voice was strained and sounded like gravel. "You are right, you don't have to like me but it sure would make things easier." He tried to joke but the people in the room remained silent. He considered the situation for a moment longer. The look that he had received from Keladry was like nothing he had ever felt before. He had to think it over before he talked to her again. "Maybe it would be best if we finished this later."

He got up and left the room quickly with a steady pace the first out of the door. The rest of the group filtered out moments later almost in a daze. Most were trying to remember if Jonathan had ever been so unnerved that he would leave a room to get away from a situation. No one could think of such an instance except for Alanna. And even that was years ago when they were still young.

Kel left with her family telling Gaven that they would meet in the morning for practice. They returned to her family's chambers to talk. They stayed up till well past the watch call of midnight talking. First they talked about every year of her life and theirs, dragging out every detail from each other possible. It took her awhile to build up the courage to tell them about her Griffin Gift but when she did Kel didn't get the reaction she expected. They were curious and excited for her; wanting to know as much about it as she would tell them.

After the men went to bed Kel and her mother stayed up to talk privately. Kel told her about Gaven having to explain to her about her monthlies and their amusing shopping trip to buy her first breast band. Then she told her about her first kiss and all the relationships that she had been in. Lastly she told her about Dom.

"But when he kissed me I felt that thing." Kel told her mother dreamily.

"That thing?" she asked.

"That thing, that moment, when you kiss someone and everything around you becomes hazy and the only thing in focus is you and this person and you realize that that person is the only person that you're supposed to kiss for the rest of your life, and for one moment you get this amazing gift and you want to laugh and you want to cry because you feel so lucky that you found it and so scared that it will go away all at the same time. And I know that is how he felt because I looked into his eyes and saw it."

"Well," he mother asked a smile playing across her lips her eyes crinkling in hidden laughter. "Did you tell him?"

Kel bit her lip. "No I told him I couldn't deal with a relationship now with all that was going on. I have so many things I want to know. So many questions I want to ask. I don't want to forget them or get distracted. I need to go to the chamber in Corus to talk to it and this time I am going to force it to answer my questions. After that I will tell him."

Kel fell silent after that. She had never talked to anyone about things like love before. She couldn't ever talk to Gaven about it because he didn't want to hear it. When she talked to Kaven about it he would listen and it would all go fine but then he would tell Gaven. It was a relief to her that she could just talk about it.

Soon after her mother showed her the room that she would be sleeping in. It was next to her parents but completely separate. Her mother pointed out the rooms that had been given to Kaven and Gaven for her.

Kel gave her mother one last hug before entering the room. Her packs had been set inside of it already. Kel went to them and got out some clothes to sleep in, washed her face and neck, then did her evening stretches. Finally she crawled under the heavy coverlet and let her head sink into the feather pillow.

Kel felt like her shoulders were to light. Like a huge boulder that she had been carrying for a long time had cracked and fallen off leaving nothing but a soar red spot to reminding her of it's existence. While she was in the place between sleep and awareness she felt the presence of Ganiel standing over her. She felt him brush her forehead with a shadowy cold hand granting her a dreamless night of sleep. Then a comforting whiff of her mothers perfume and her fathers laughter followed her.

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That part about the kiss I got from Never Been Kissed. I was watching it and thought it would fit in here nicely. I don't really think I like this chapter. I don't know I think maybe the characters are out of character. Maybe it is Jonathan's character that I got wrong. I think I made him seem too stupid. As for the name spelling, I don't have any of the books with me because I am doing this at the library of my college with my flash drive so I can't check names. Sorry.


	17. Lessons On Being A King

I know I have been a bad author. I used to update like every week and now it takes forever for me to update. My new computer comes in about two weeks so then I should be able to update more.

I wanted to answer reviews like I normally do but this computer that I am on right now is not working and keeps freezing up so I will answer them next time.

Thanks for the reviews though everyone.

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The watchman called the sixth hour just as Kel was locking up her room and heading outside to find Gaven. The mornings were starting to get colder so Kel had on a thick long sleeved shirt and thick trousers. She did her best not to make any noise and wake anyone up this early in the morning. She snuck through the kitchens and grabbed two rolls stuffed with cheese and ham then continued to look for Gaven. She found him waiting in the open area between the outer wall and soldier's barracks. She handed him the roll and they ate in silence.

Kel wiped her fingers off with a handkerchief then got up to start practicing. They started out first with stretches warming up their muscles proved harder in the colder climate. After that they moved on to a simple hand to hand combat maneuver. It was a practice dance that they used often, each knowing what the other would do, their bodies going through the motions as their minds wondered. They ended the dance with there forearms pressed together Kel's foot at Gaven's throat and Gaven's hand resting against Kel's throat waiting to push on her windpipe. They held the position then bowed Yamani style to each other.

They went through several more dances each more challenging and faster then the previous. The last dance they did was dedicated to the last Shang Dragon and signified his final battle. Their limbs were blurs of color and their feet were never on the ground at the same time. Kel dropped to her knees and punched Gaven fifteen times in the stomach to signify the fifteen arrows that pierced the Dragon to end his life and the dance. They paused for the traditional fifteen seconds then clapped their hands together before their faces and bowed to each other.

Sometime during the last dance men had started to filter out of the soldiers barracks to the mess hall. The men had stopped dead in their tracks at the fight going on in the clearing. Dom thought that it was something between acrobatics and fighting but whatever they were doing it was beautiful. It renewed his love of the fighting arts to see something so deadly and practical look so beautiful. He winced as he saw Gaven standing stock still take fifteen bone crushing punches in the abdomen. A silence that followed was powerful; Dom and the other soldiers could tell that it meant something and didn't dare to move or talk. After Kel and Gaven bowed to each other Dom strode up to them.

"If you're done practicing would you like to join me for a meal in the soldiers mess?" He asked.

Gaven and Kel looked at him with blank faces their breathing normal. They were planning on doing some staff work then sword practice; but from the size of the crowd around them they guessed that it would be impossible anyway. They both nodded and made their way through the soldiers and to the soldiers mess.

Kel was glad that they didn't have to eat with the King; she was embarrassed with herself. No normal Yamani would have spoken out like that. They would have smiled and replied with a remark that was polite yet stung at the same time. When they sat down at the benches Dom sat beside Kel so close that his thigh was pressed up against hers. He pretended not to notice as Kel tried to suppress the raging blush that was threatening to burst onto her cheeks.

"After breakfast I am going to put my men through a grueling practice session. If you would like you can come and watch. I have to give out promotions so that I know how many men I have to recruit in Corus. I would love to hear you're opinions." Dom asked looking first at Gaven then Kel.

"I think we could watch for awhile." Kel answered. Gaven nodded his head in agreement.

The rest of the day was spent watching Dom and Lord Raoul yelling at their men to hurry up and fight harder. And from the way Dom yelled at his men Kel figured his grandmother must be the best warrior in Tortall.

While Kel and Gaven were watching the men Kel's parents came to talk to her. People filtered by exchanging hellos and trying to get a look at her throughout the afternoon. Her friends stopped by and talked with her about everything that had happened in their lives since she had left. When Neal brought Owen over to meet her he nearly squealed with excitement.

"You're amazing." he said. "I saw you dueling with Raoul, and he used to be my Knight master so I know how good he is, and you beat him. I can't believe it! And then this morning I saw you with the Shang Raven and you were going so fast I couldn't even tell what you were doing? Do you think you could beat the Lioness?" He asked excitedly.

"No, I could never beat her." Kel said hiding a smile at the eighteen year old man who was acting like a ten year old boy. "I don't even think I want to try to beat her. So what was it like to be the Giant Killers squire?" she asked him.

Owen beamed up at her and went into stories about killing bandits and centaurs not even stopping to take a breath.

Neal leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Now you've done it. He won't shut up until we get food in his mouth." He sighed dramatically threw his hands up in the air and said louder, "What did I ever do to get stuck babysitting for these young children?"

Kel punched him in the shoulder and went back to watching Dom. Just seeing him shirtless sent unwanted shivers up her spine. She kept remembering the kiss and thinking that it wasn't enough to just have left him with such a small pathetic kiss. She hadn't even kissed him back. She shut the thought out and shoved it to the back of her mind; she couldn't get distracted.

By the time the men were ready to take a break and eat lunch Kel and Gaven were the only ones left watching. Dom and Raoul took a seat at the table with them and servants set out bread trenchers filled with thick soup, strips of beef, and mugs of water. As they ate Raoul questioned them.

"So what did you think?" he asked.

"They are very good although I think the man who was in the last row third one in needs to work on his footing. One strong blow and he's gone." Kel answered.

"Who was their Dom? Was it Makurus?"

Dom nodded his head. "Yes I believe that was were he was. I don't think I will be keeping him, maybe transfer him to another group. He is lazy, doesn't do his work, and isn't that good with reports. He's not cut out for this work. When we were chasing down those bandits near Moren I was about to leave him behind if he complained once more. He was worse than Neal." Dom smiled at Kel. "I'm glad you pointed that out though I didn't notice it. How about you Gaven what did you think?"

"They need to train more with no weapons. They are relying on them to much. They should be able to survive without them. That could just be a Shang talking but it is something I noticed with many warriors. Not just in you're country but in Yamani also." He answered choosing his words carefully not wanting to upset them.

"You're right." Raoul agreed. "When I was younger we didn't train in hand to hand combat, mostly just wrestling. The palace did have two Shang to train the pages but one left after Keladry so all they have is the one." He looked thoughtfully at them. "If you don't mind would you come to Corus with us and help train our new recruits? We would pay you of course and give you lodging, but it would be appreciated."

Kel looked at Gaven waiting for his answer. She knew what hers was. She was going to Corus anyway and helping train was the least she could do. "I'd love to help you." she answered.

"I think it would be good for Kel to train people who don't know her as well and who are at least her own age. I would like a little change. So yes we will come with you." Gaven agreed.

"Would you like to help us go through the rest of the drills with the men?" Raoul asked.

After they finished their meal and the men were all assembled in lines of five, four deep Raoul introduced Kel and Gaven.

"This is Lady Keladry of Mindelan the Shang Griffin and this is Gaven the Shang Raven." Raoul motioned to them and Kel and Gaven bowed Yamani style to the men. "They are going to be helping us decide which of you to keep and which of you needs more training. I know I don't need to say this but respect them and do what they say or heads will role." He bellowed. Kel knew that voice well; it was the same tone she used on her trainees back in the Islands.

Raoul assigned a row to each instructor, Kel took the last row. Kel walked around the group of men who were going through staff work again examining their movements. She went through the lines changing several grips and footing placements and suggesting how the men could do things better. She tried to ignore the men who laughed at her and refused to use the grips that she showed them. These weren't her soldiers she didn't have a right to call any of them out. Kel was also aware that Raoul and Dom were watching here out of the corner of their eyes to see what she would do with the men. She stopped a man who was in his thirties to tell him his hands were in the wrong place.

"What's you're name?" she asked.

"Eamon."

"Eamon, you're hands are in the wrong position. They need to be further apart; otherwise you are going to get you're fingers broken when you try to block." she explained.

He laughed. "Miss I think I know how to use a staff. And I certainly won't be told by a girl who is the same age as my daughter how to do it properly." Kel grabbed the staff from the man who was standing beside Eamon; waited till he was performing the block his own way then swung her staff at him. He blocked it and Kel's staff smashed against two of his fingers. Eamon screamed and dropped the staff. He coddled his hand feeling his two broken fingers.

"I told you to move you're hands. Would you just drop you're weapon on the battlefield? Because if this were a battle you would be dead right now." Her voice was hard and she had taken a tone of voice she reserved for training. "Now do it again the way I told you to or I will break something else."

"I need to go to the healers to fix my fingers." Eamon whined.

Kel shook her head looking down her nose at him. "Not until you get it right. Pain is weakness, work through it."

He did the drill correctly twenty times before she sent him to the healers with strict orders to come back right away for more training.

Next she watched Makurus intently; it was apparent to her what he was doing wrong right away. His feet were to close together and while one should have been in front of the other his were both on the same line. She watched him go through five drills like this before she intervened.

"One foot needs to be in front of the other just slightly and you need to spread you're legs out further so you're stance is solid." she told him.

"Listen girly I don't know who you think you are but I'm not going to take advice on how to fight from a girl who got kicked out of Knight training. The only way you became a Shang was puttin' out for you're Shang Master. I could beat you at any thing." he hissed.

Dom heard him and came charging down the lines but Raoul grabbed him by the arm. "I want to see how she handles this." Raoul told him.

Kel looked thoughtfully at the staff in her hands showing none of her emotions on her face. She had dealt with men like this before but unfortunately each one had to be handled differently. You couldn't just beat all of them; some you had to play a battle of whit's with, others you had to befriend. She looked Makurus over sizing him up. He was about twenty five, cocky and over confident. She had no doubt that one of her younger students could win a staff fight against him. Kel noticed that the men around them had all backed up leaving them in a large circle. From the look on Makurus's face he didn't look willing to become friends with her and a game of whit's is out of the questions she thought he doesn't look that bright. So a fight it is.

"Was that a challenge or a threat Makurus?" she asked.

"Both."

She nodded her head tapping her chin. "Well then I only have one thing that I can do." she said. She swung her staff up into the ready position and said in a quiet dangerous voice. "Fight." Makurus swung his staff at her and Kel blocked it. She didn't even give him a chance to react before she started attacking him furiously. Her staff was a blur in the air never letting Makurus get the upper hand. She smashed his fingers relentlessly breaking four and bruising them all. She watched for all of his mistakes and pointed them out to him by striking him where they were. When he stumbled backwards on his own misplaced footing she lunged in and held her staff tight to his throat; pushing down so that his voice came out hushed.

She looked down at him. "Keep you're feet in a solid stance next time and get your fingers out of the way. By putting them how you were you were asking for me to break them."

Makurus's face was red from embarrassment and fury. "You whore." he spat. "You had better watch you're back or you'll find yourself in a ditch with you're throat slit."

Kel smiled at him making him even madder. "Why don't you go to the healers first?" She let him up and watched as he scrambled out of the practice area and of to the healers.

Raoul came over to her smiling. "I asked for you're help. I didn't tell you to nearly kill one of my men."

Kel looked down embarrassed. "Sorry." she mumbled.

"That's alright I would have done the same thing only not with such grace." He told her. "Alright everyone now that you know not to ignore the Griffin's help why don't you get back into lines and work on swords. Then we can stop for the day and get some food." Raoul shouted. There was a flurry of activity as the men replaced their staffs with swords and got into lines; Kel's one short for the rest of the afternoon. The men became very receptive to her advice and were practically begging her to show them new moves.

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That night they once again ate supper in the meeting room with the other off duty nobles. Kel sat next to Alanna with Neal sitting across from them. Kel spent the whole meal listening to the two telling her about Neal's squiredom.

During a story about Neal being sent up into a lemon tree to retrieve a little girl's kitten a thought occurred to Kel. "Neal is King Jonathan Really allergic to strawberries?" she asked.

Neal looked up from his boiled cabbage at Kel a sheepish look on his face. "Not as allergic as I made it sound he won't die or anything but he gets hives." Kel nodded thoughtfully a plan forming in her mind.

Kel was leaving the meeting room planning on a nice soak in the small women's bath house when a hand grabbed her arm. She spun around and came face to face with the King.

"Keladry if we could please talk privately." He asked.

She nodded her head yes resigning herself to a short soak in a cold bath. He led the way out of headquarters and towards the stables. Kel looked at him in the dimming light and saw that he looked like he hadn't slept the night before. His hair was mussed and his clothes were winkled giving him a disheveled unkingly look.

"Keladry I was thinking all last night about what you said and I have realized that it was wrong for me to have blamed any of it on someone else. You're probation was unfair as was the decision to make you leave. You had proved yourself then and you still do. I'm not looking for forgiveness, I don't think I deserve that, but what I am looking for is for you to realize that their was nothing more that you could have done to stay. It wasn't anything that you did; it was me. I realized that I haven't been the best King that I could be." He stopped talking as they reached a bench on the backside of the stables. He motioned for Kel to sit then sat himself.

"My father once told me that not all good Kings are good men." Kel told him. "I think I spoke rather harshly last night. I know what it is like trying to please everyone and it seems like you are pleasing no one. You have to pick you're battles and know when to walk away; the same must apply to a King." She could tell he wasn't lying and that he really felt sorry. She could tell that he had spent time rethinking his life. It wasn't what she had expected from him but she thought it was good for him. "I accept your apology Your Highness. And thank you for talking with me." She got up and left him sitting on the bench looking up at the stars.

Jonathan sat there for hours trying to reason with him self. How was it that one of the best lessons he had ever gotten in ruling had come from a teenage girl? He made a promise to himself to talk to her more often about leadership and take her advice.

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There was a lot of fighting in this one. I know how to knife fight because of the throwing but other than that I don't have any idea so sorry if it doesn't sound real.


	18. You tell me?

I'm not sure how long this is going to be but I decided to stop here because i wanted to post this. Not much happens in this chapter but their is some Kel/Dom.

I'm going to answer the reviews that i didn't last time sorry about that.

Chapter 16 reviews

theknightofkonaha: That is one of the things i like best about fanfiction. You can tweak the character a little if the story has dramatically changed like mine has.

the pie of doomeh: I can't wait to be recognized by you and I hope that you get to do everything that you want to. It is always nice to hear that people still love the story and it still surprises me when people say that.

Swiftshadow: Thanks I'm glad you still like it.

Lioness31: I couldn't live with myself if I didn't make Kel fall in love with Dom and him fall in love with her. And as much as I love the original story more than any other book that i have ever read I wanted to give it my own tweak. After all isn't that what fan fiction is about.

JesusFreak30: I should have but him in their but his beautiful self couldn't be in every chapter.  
Mrs. Dom masbolle: I am working on the Kel/Neal bonding thing. I want it to be perfect and the characters to be perfect

froggee: I don't know how Kel could not fall in love with Dom. I know i have and he isn't even real. OH NO DID I JUST SAY THAT!!! he is real i know he is. He is out their waiting for me.

Chapter 17 reviews:

Swiftshadow: Thanks for the reviews. You always review right away on every chapter!

Lady Saphirea: I did do a couple other stories but they are just one shots. I want to continue the one about Owen but i am going to finish this one first.

Grace of Masbolle: Oh yes Kel is very wise. I got the thing that she said to Jon from what she said in i think The First Test. I know she said it in something.

Pie Of Doomeh: That was funny and exactly what i was thinking. I tried to make him more like he was in the first couple books. I haven't liked him since The Women Who Rides Like A Man.

theknightofkonaha: I'll ask you if more of it comes up i really don't know anything about the difference and i really don't know what it was i was having them do. it just sounded good. LOL.

Luna A. Dust: I liked doing the fights because it is something i have never written before. I think that is the thing i have the most problem with and it is the hardest thing for me to write.

Mrs. Dom Masbolle: I like a distracted Kel. I could do something with that... maybe i will and that will be how she 'falls' for Dom. Good idea.

Addicted to starbucks: Sorry i couldn't get that whole think with the caps and not caps perfect. Anywho here is an update. 

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The next day went much the same as the previous. Kel and Gaven practiced Shang in the morning, ate breakfast with Dom, and then went to help Lord Raoul finish inspecting the Own. They had an uneventful meal with the King then spent the rest of the evening packing and getting ready to leave in the morning for Corus.

That night Kel lay awake in her room starring at the paneled sealing. Questions were running rampant through her mind. From past experiences she knew that a well organized mind was needed to enter the Chamber and question it.

Kel decided to start with her thoughts which were unorganized and all over the place since her memory was restored. She went through each year of her life combing through the jungle of images that were clogging her rational thinking. First she went through each year of her life combining the jumble of previously lost Tortallan memories with those of her years in the Islands. She went through the list of manes and fit them with faces then placed them away to be remembered when needed. She sorted out what had really happened to her from the things that she wished had happened to her.

After she was done her head felt smaller and she felt like her normal self again. Her brain mirrored how she liked to portray herself everything was organized and had its own place. She was just thinking about her first question when her eyelids shut and she slipped into a deep sleep.

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Kel sat mounted atop Peachblossom conversing with Neal while they waited for the King and the last of the supply wagons.

Kel and Gaven had donned their traditional Shang traveling clothes. Kel's consisted of a green shirt covered with a leather jerkin, brown leather breaches, and black leather riding boots. Her sword hung from her belt along with her belt knife and other various helpful things. Her Glave was strapped to Peachblossoms side on leather thongs that could be easily broken if the weapon was needed quickly. A battle ax that matched her sword hung by her right knee.

Kel's Shang insignia, a golden griffin with a glaive gripped in it's claws on a square of red, was embroidered on the collar of her shirt and the breast pocket of her jerkin. She didn't like letting every person who walked by her know who she was but it had been decreed by the council that every traveling Shang had their insignia in view at all times. Not only to protect the Shang but to protect anyone stupid enough to try to fight them.

Kel ran her calloused fingers over the embroidery. Her mother had already drawn up a new insignia for her to show that she was from the house of Mindalen. A small golden owl that was fighting an unseen foe with its claws would be added to the top right corner. Kel didn't see the point in it because no one really understood what the Shang symbols meant yet and would just get things confused but still felt honored by the gesture.

Neal stopped talking and waved his arms in the air to show their friends where they were. While everyone was greeting each other Kel scanned the ranks to see who would be accompanying them to Corus. She counted two groups of the Queens Riders, five squads of the Kings Own and about twenty Knights. Kels mother, Yuki, and the Queen were riding along side the King, encircled by two squads of the Own.

Kel noticed Dom right away her eyes seeming to draw to him even though she willed them not to. He was bent over a map talking with Raoul. Dom smiled at something Raoul said and Kel could hear his laughter from where she waited. His smile made her stomach flop and he wasn't even looking at her. Dom rolled the map up, saluted Raoul, and returned to his horse. Kel watched him as he checked straps and weapons before mounting.

Dom went to the other side of his horse and looked up catching Kel with his eyes. Kel started not expecting him to notice her but kept still her face calm and didn't look away. Dom contorted his face so that one eye was shut, his nose wrinkled, and his tongue sticking partway out of his mouth. Kel did her best not to laugh and allowed herself one small smile. Dom shrugged his shoulders and gave her a look that plainly said 'I'll make you smile sooner or later' and went back to checking his gear.

Kel turned back to her companions in time to hear Neal repeat a question he had asked her. "What?" Kel asked Neal.

"I said," he replied dramatically. "What does the thing on your shirt mean?"

"It is my Shang Insignia. We have to wear them when we are traveling. They are your Shang name and the weapon that you are best with. It doesn't really even have to be a physical weapon. Some people are great thinkers so they have books; some people are fast so they have lightning." Kel explained.

Neal had stopped listening. He looked around to see what it was that Kel had been looking at with such interest. All he was were soldiers, old knights, and Dom struggling with his horse. Neal shrugged his shoulders and brought himself back into the conversation.

Finally the King raised his gloved hand and brought it down signaling for everyone to ride out. It was a slow process to travel with royalty but Kel didn't mind. She had a lot to think about. She planned on spending the day pondering her upcoming visit with the chamber. It wasn't until noon that Kel had put together her list of questions and stored them away neatly in her mind. After they stopped to let the horses rest and eat lunch kel rode with her old friends.

She had spent the last several days talking with her family and hadn't had that much time to really talk to them. She was eager to hear all that they had done over the last seven years. First they told her about page training and then went on to talk about their squire years, each telling her their own stories.

Neal refused to tell her of his years with the Lioness so the other men willingly took over the subject.

"If someone doesn't want something to be known by the public then others should respect that." Neal protested slumping down lower in his saddle.

"Since when are we 'public'?" Merric asked.

Merric looked at Neal and rolled his eyes. "Besides the stories are really funny. Like the time you tried make Lady Alanna sick so you didn't have to go to Corus but instead the spell backfired and your teeth turned blue. Or the time..."

Neal sat strait up in his saddle and put an over exaggerated hurt look on his face. "I am going to find people to ride with who respect other people's private lives." He said haughtily and turned his horse in the opposite direction.

It was during Merric's rendition of Neal's heroic battle with an over lively chicken that Kel became aware of someone watching her. It was subtle at first and she couldn't figure out where it was coming from. It wasn't the strange eerie feeling of having a stalker it was more of a comfortable protective feeling. She resisted the urge to turn around by telling herself that there were plenty of reasons for people to be watching her. It could be one of her brothers, her father, her mother, or even someone else. It didn't feel like a threat so she eventually ignored it and smiled at her friends obvious joy over Neal's horrific exploits.

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Dom couldn't help looking at her it was like she was a magnet and his eyes kept being drawn back. he admired the way she sat tall in her saddle almost daring someone to question her. He loved the way her hair got caught in the breeze and flew around her face, then smiled when she sighed and pulled it back into a bun.

He didn't want to admit it but he was jealous of the time that she was spending with her friends. Why couldn't it be him next to her sharing jokes at his cousins' expense?

He wanted so badly to see her really smile. Not the mall half smile that she allowed herself but a beautiful smile that lit up her whole face. He was planning on the best way to steal a kiss from her when he saw Neal detach himself from the group and ride back to his fiancé head held high. Dom smirked at him them continued his thorough examination of Kel. The way her chest pushed against the front of her tunic almost made him shiver.

Dejected Neal went to ride with Yuki hoping she would sooth his hurting ego. When he fell in beside her all she did was wave at him them continue her conversation with Kel's mother in Yamani.

Neal couldn't help but feel captivated with Lady Ilane. She was so strong physically and mentally. She had grown to be more like a mother to him than he expected. During his second year as a page he developed a strong relationship with the Mindalen family. He went to visit them every summer before he went home to Queenscove. Neal often stayed during harvest season to help with the crops and other things on the small fief. At midwinter he would exchange gifts with them and would receive packages full of cakes and candy sporadically throughout the year. He had even asked Kel's father the best way to propose to a Yamani. Neal owed so much to Kel's family; they had helped him through her supposed death more than his friends had been able to.

Neal sighed dramatically, he coughed on the nonexistent road dust, and he started to hum a tine, and trying to get Yuki's attention. When it finally worked it wasn't the attention that he had hoped for. Yuki turned to him in her saddle and smiled politely at him.

"Neal can't you see that we are trying to have an adult conversation here? Now if you don't be quiet I will personally see to it that you share a room with the men of the Own for the test of the trip. Do you remember what happened last time?" she asked sweetly. She said it so that if you couldn't hear her you would think she was complementing Neal on the he color of his socks. Neal visibly paled at the threat remembering the horrific incident that had befallen him while traveling with the Own.

Neal backed off from Yuki and saw Kel's mother wink at him hiding a smile behind her fan. Neal rode behind them for a time until he caught sight of Dom. He once again moved his riding position to next to his cousin. Neal stayed quiet for some time thinking of a witty remark to say while at the same time waiting for what Dom would say to him. When it didn't come he looked over at Dom and saw that he had a slight smile on his lips and his eyes were locked onto something in front of them. Neal traced his gaze and saw that it ended at Keladry. Why is he looking at her, Neal thought?

"Dom!" He yelled a wicked grin playing across his lips.

The captain almost fell out of his saddle with shock. While he regained his balance he turned and snarled at Neal. "You will pay for that Meathead. What will it be? Do you want me to shave off your eyebrows and leave you stranded naked in a courtyard again or something new this time?

Neal smirked at him. "You're just mad because i caught the new Second in Command of the Kings Own sleeping on the job."

"I wasn't sleeping, I was planning." Dom said letting his eyes roam over the riders.

"What were you planning?" Neal asked not really expecting an answer. 

"You're demise." Dom replied absently but with just enough emotion in his voice to scare Neal.

"I'll be going now." Neal nudged his horse past Dom.

"I think that is for the best. Don't you Neal?" He said as Neal passed him.

Dom watched Neal's brows furrow together in thought at his cousins actions as he went to rejoin his friends and original traveling party.

When Neal rejoined them Kel was just starting to tell them about Shang training. He saw a spark come into her eyes as she spoke about the winter she spent in Tusain training young in self defense. He also noticed her innate ability to describe the battles that she had taken part in.

XXXXXX 

Just as the sun was going down on the fourth day they reached the town of Queensgrace. Joust two more days' Kel thought, two days till the chamber and answered questions.

Queensgrace had a large inn called the Jug and Fire where there were enough rooms for everyone to stay in. After a meal of ham, fried potatoes, and cider Kel went to her rooms and retrieved her glaive. She hadn't had a chance to practice properly for days and wanted to get in a short session before it got to dark. The only space large enough for her to do that in was the open courtyard between the stable and the inn's front door. She marched into the middle of the clearing and cleaned the ground of twigs, pebbles, and debris that might trip her up. She then cleared her mind and loosened her tense muscles shaking out her arms and rolling her neck. She ignored the people walking around her and swept the glaive into the open air around her to check for room. She launched into a pattern dance that focused not on any specific part of her body but involved them all.

Neal walked out of the inn with Dom and Cleon in tow just as Kel was readying herself. Half way through the dance Neal let out a sigh. 

"Isn't it beautiful?" he asked.

"I guess." Cleon looked at him like he had a frog on his head then his eyes widened. "You mean Kel! Neal your engaged." He looked around scandalously.

"No i mean isn't it amazing that something so beautiful as that dance could be so deadly. But that's the Yamani's for you. Everything they touch is both beautiful and deadly. The movements look so graceful yet just a twitch and you're hand could be chopped off." he explained.

Dom wholly and fully agreed but he wouldn't let Neal know that.But before he could stop himself the words just spilled from his lips. "She's magnificent." he whispered.

"Hungh?" Neal grunted in question. Dom's face was glowing a bright red in the bit of light that was left.

"I have to go. I forgot that i was supposed to inspect the squad's helmets." Dom mumbled.

Neal shrugged his shoulders and turned back to see Kel finishing her dance and exiting the clearing. Neal turned to Cleon "You want to go find a card game?"

"Sure." Cleon and Neal continued on past the inn. "You know your cousin is weirder than you."

"What!" Neal shrieked.

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I know lame ending but this is all i got for now and i didn't want to keep you waiting forever.


	19. Another Stray

**Grace of Masbolle **Glad you liked it and I hope you like the new chapter.

**Theknightofkonaha **Sorry no chamber in this one but it is coming. I already started working on it.

**SwiftShadow **Yah it was supposed to be names thanks for telling me. I can't wait till I am a published author. I will give my editors the biggest muffin baskets ever.

**BlackWidow12 **I love new reviewers!!! So therefore I love you and I don't want you to cry. If you cried there wait till the last chapter. Let's just say you will need a box of tissues. Nobody dies but it will be good.

**Mysterious Miko of Moonlight **LOL. Once again I love new reviewers so therefore I love you and your review. I used to update every week but lately I have been so busy I just can't find time. Plus I lost part of this chapter so I had to rewrite it and it is nothing like I wanted it to be.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle **You will love this chapter. Well I hope you will. There is some kissing.

**LadyKnightSusan **Yah you can't get much weirder than Neal but I think I am going to try.

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Kel deposited her Glaive in her rooms then headed for the stables. As she walked out of her door her eyes fell on Peachblossoms tack and her mind went directly to how hard her horse had worked for her on the way to Tortal and how much she appreciated him.

Kel walked into the stuffy kitchens of the inn to buy a treat from the cooks for Peachblossom. Inside the kitchen were several of the maids that were serving them at dinner as well as large muscular women standing over a scrubbing pot full of dishes. The front of her dress and apron were wet and cooking grease was smeared on it's sides. Her hair was pulled back into a knot at the back of her neck and was coming undone with the vigorous effort she was putting into scrubbing the dishes clean. From her demeanor and the way she kept her eyes on everything that was going on Kel suspected her to be in charge.

Kel walked up to her and cleared her throat. The women looked up in annoyance at the disruption. When she saw Kel she smiled. "What can I do for you Lady Shang?"

"I was wondering if I could buy some carrots or an apple from you." Kel asked hiding the reason she wanted to buy them for fear of insulting the women.

The women smiled again. "We don't have any apples I just used them for the pies at supper. I think we have a few carrots left though that didn't go into the soup." She gazed around the kitchen until she spotted the maid she was looking for. "Hilda." She called. A small girl who looked about fifteen and resembled the women turned to face her. The women smiled again. "Could you please go get some of the left over carrots from tonight's soup? They are in the cellar." The girl nodded and disappeared through another door and down steps into the darkness below.

"How much should I pay you miss?" Kel asked the women reaching into her belt purse.

"Oh you don't have to pay for these. I probably would have forgotten about them being in there tomorrow." She replied chuckling. The girl came out of the cellar moments later carrying five carrots by the stems. She handed them over to the women who in turn handed them over to Kel with yet another smile. "If you need anything else just let me know. My name is Annabelle, I own the Jug and Fire along with my brother."

"Thank you Annabelle if I travel through here again I will stop and stay. You have a wonderful inn." Keladry replied. She waved to Annabelle and left through the door.

Kel walked the short distance to the stables carrots in hand her mind automatically going over her questions for the Chamber. Kel's eyes adjusted to the darkness of the stables as she looked for Peachblossom's stall. Before she could find it the unmistakable sound of leather hitting flesh and a child's cry cut through the quietness that had been prominent just moments before.

"I tol' ye about foolin' around the horses when there's work to be done," a man snarled. He stood two rows of stalls over from Kel, his back to her. He raised his right hand; a leather strap dangled from his fist, "You're supposed to be in the kitchen washin' up, you thankless rat turd!" He swung again and Kel heard another slap then a yelp.

Kel walked quickly yet silently to close the short distance between them fast. She reached him just as he was drawing back for another slap and grabbed his forearm in a steely grip.

"You dare..." The man growled and turned to look at her. His eyes roamed over her body and stopped at her chest when he saw her Shang Insignia. He knew who she was. News traveled fast when she was just the Shang Griffin but now that people know that she is the long lost Keladry of Mindelan it traveled faster. To Kel it seemed that people knew where she was going to be before she did. "This's no business of yours, lady," he said trying to yank his arm from her grip. "Look, he's allus ditchin' chores, never minds his work. Likely he's out here to steal. Leave me deal with him."

A boy who Kel had not noticed until then darted out from the empty stall and into the one across from it before Kel could stop him he skidded to a halt before Peachblossom's nose.

"No!" Kel shouted. "Peachblossom, leave him be! Boy, he's mean, get out now!" The boy waited perfectly still and let Peachblossom sniff him all over then stuck his hand under his nose as Peachblossom lipped at his palm. Kel waited for the usual scream that came from most people who got in close proximity with Peachblossom but it never came. 

"Milady, you oughtn't go between a man an' his servants," the innkeeper whined. "I'll never get him to do proper work now." As the man struggled to get loose from her ever tightening grip Kel examined the scrap of boy that had charmed Peachblossom. The boy had deep-set blue eyes that had rims around them from old black eyes; he had a new bruise on his cheek and a scrape on his sloping nose. His chin was square and determined and he had welts on his arms and back visible through the scrap of a shirt he wore. She figured if his hair was clean it would be blond but it was hard to tell.

He's got horse magic she thought. It's the only possible answer. She looked at the innkeeper fury boiling in her eyes and veins. She looked him straight in the eyes. "Tell me this is not you're son." she asked icily.

"No he was a charity case. He works here. I've the right to discipline him as I please." he replied scared out of his mind by her gaze. 

"You would lose that right if he weren't forced to depend on you. He'd be long gone." She knew she shouldn't do what she was going to do she had no right but she couldn't' let this boy stay here living like this. "How did he come to you?"

"His mother left him with the midwife, she died and we bid for his indenture. Seven years but he's been more trouble then he was worth." he replied with a sneer.

"How much did you pay when you bid for his services?" she heard herself ask her mouth working against what her head was yelling at her. 

"He's not for sale." The innkeeper started. Kel whipped her head around to face him and caught his eyes with her own glowing golden ones. A wave of anger and nastiness wafted over her and immediately all she wanted to do was go take a bath and scour her skin clean. The innkeepers face went white and pasty. Kel could not understand how this man was related to the smiling Annabelle. "Fine you can have him." he stammered. Kel looked away trying to keep her supper down after seeing what she had in him. "We paid two copper nobles." 

"You only paid one, and i been workin' here for three years." The boy said first looking to the innkeeper then to Kel. Kel knew even before the innkeeper spoke that he was going to lie.

Kel pulled two copper nobles from her belt purse reluctantly. She wouldn't' have paid two copper bits for a regular boy in his condition but she wanted this to be over with and the innkeeper out of her sight. "You get these when I get the indenture papers. Now go." She yelled at him. He scrambled out of the stables.

Kel looked at the boy. He required clothes, shoes, a long bath, and a hair cut. He watched her scratching his head. He probably has lice she thought. Kel held her finger up to her shoulder and a sparrow hopped onto it. "Could you please go get Neal for me?" she asked it. "I need him for a healing." The boy watched the sparrow take flight then retreated under Peachblossom's belly as Kel's gaze was directed back towards him. "What's you're name and how old are you?" she asked.

"Tobe, Miss. Tobeis Boon. I think I'm nine."

The innkeeper entered the stables at that moment with the papers, a quill, ink, and sealing wax. Kel quickly signed and watched as he did also. She handed him the money and took the paper from him. The innkeeper scuttled out of the stables passing Neal and his dog Jump on his way in.

"This better be good Kel I was winning a card game." He stopped as he saw Peachblossoms stall and the boy under the belly of the beast who enjoyed tormenting Neal.

"Will you take a look at the boy?" Kel asked. "Tobe this is my friend Neal." Kel left to get clothes for Tobe as Neal started to talk him over. What have I gotten myself into she thought?

When she got back to her room she saw a tray full of dinner scraps to the left of her door along with four empty buckets one of which had the rotten clothes Tobe had been wearing in it. Kel juggled the items that she had picket out for Tobe and tried to open the door. She struggled with the handle before the door was opened from within. Kel looked over the clothes in her hands and saw Dom standing in her doorway.

"Dom!" she blurted out in surprise. ""What are you doing here?" Dom took the clothes from her and ushered her in closing the door behind her. He set the clothes down on a chair and pointed to a cot in the corner. Kel's eyes took in the disaster of her room. A tub half full of water and bubbles sat under her window. The floor under it had been mopped up but still had puddles around it. Tobe lay on the cot in a blue shirt that Kel noticed right away as Dom's.

"Neal said he needed some help with Tobe so I offered to help him. We got him a bath and some food. I figured what he was wearing should just be burned so I'll take it with me when i leave and throw it in a fire." Dom said looking at Kel with a smile. Kel was speechless she kept looking between the sleeping Tobe and Dom whose smile threatened to make her giggle. It was the odd urge to giggle that brought Kel back to reality.

"That was very thoughtful of you Dom." she said. "What happened to Neal?"

"He went to go see Yuki. I decided to stay here until you came back." He said looking down shyly. An uncomfortable silence filled the room each of them trying to think of something to say.

"Thank you for staying Dom. It's nice to know I can count on you." Kel finally said. She looked around the room everywhere but at Dom. 

"Well I'd better leave we ride out early tomorrow." Dom said. He walked over to Tobe and pulled the blanket up to his neck and ruffled his hair. Kel stared at him intently her breath caught in her throat at the tenderness that Dom showed. Suddenly she saw what her life would be like in ten years and she knew she wanted Dom there with her taking care of her children, no, their children.

Dom turned back to her with the same tenderness in his eyes that she had seen in the future. She was scared and excited at the same time from the look he gave her. how could I fall in love with someone so fast she thought? How could I let this get so out of hand?

Dom looked down at his folded hands then back up at Kel his eyes asking an unspoken question. Kel looked away again and Dom stepped right next to her and touched her arm. When she didn't pull away he was emboldened. Dom used two fingers to move Kel's head to face him, she shuddered at his touch. Dom tenderly placed a small kiss on her lips and followed it by several more each growing in passion. Kel reached out and pulled Dom closer to her pressing her body against his.

Kel had never felt this way when she was with someone. Her mind was off on another plane. Every cell in her body that touched Doms was tingling; the hair on the back of her neck was standing on end. A rustle of blankets from the corner of the room brought her back to earth. She pulled away from Dom her breathing harsh. She noticed that Dom was gasping for air also and an uncontrollable smile broke out over her face.

"That's what I have been looking for." Dom said. "You should smile more often you're beautiful when you smile."

Kel raised her eyebrow at him. "You mean I only look beautiful when I smile?" she teased him.

"No I mean...You always look beautiful...You just look even better when you smile." Dom stumbled. Kel smirked at him. "No, I mean you always look great but..."

"I think you had better stop while you are ahead don't you agree?" Kel asked him.

Dom smiled and walked to the door. "So I guess I will see you tomorrow then, at breakfast?"

Kel nodded and ushered him out the door. Dom looked up and down the hall then leaned in to give her a kiss but Kel pulled back.

"Come on..." Dom complained but stopped when Kel pointed down the hall. Seconds later Raoul walked around the corner. When he spotted them he smiled and opened the door to his rooms and disappeared into it. Kel quickly gave Dom another Kiss on his lips before he even turned his head back to her, and then shut his door with her last look at him a smile.

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**I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Which one of these do you think should be on Kel's grave stone? Put your answer in the reviews please.

1) Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. Flavia Weedn,

2) The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth. Chinese Proverb

3) Even if we are occupied with important things and even if we attain honor or fall into misfortune, still let us remember how good it once was here, when we were all together, united by a good and a kind feeling which made us perhaps better than we are.

4) The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.


	20. IMPORTANT AUTHORS NOTE

**This is a very important author's note!!!!!!! **

I realized as soon as I reread what I wrote at the end that people would think that I was going to kill Kel off in my story. I almost kicked myself.

Do you remember when Neal had the dream about burying Kel? Well I want to know what I should put on that grave stone. They 'buried' her even though they never found a body, remember? It was in chapter 6.

Sorry about that. I don't kill off main characters! I could never do that. So choose what should be on the 'tomb' and let me know.

Really sorry about that I think some of you must have had an apoplexy.

-Alexia-


	21. Back at the Palace

This is a really long chapter so no complaints. I kept telling myself that I needed to just sit down and write this thing but I was so busy. I really am sorry for the confusion about Kel. I wasn't thinking when I wrote that. So once again **KEL IS NOT DEAD. NOR IS SHE GOING TO DIE. **

I had so many reviews and votes for both chapters so I am going to do my best to answer them. If I forget someone I am really sorry.

**Lady Knight Susan**: Yes that would be horrible is Kel died. Thanks for the vote. And please don't have a heart attack. Then I wouldn't have a reviewer.

**SwiftShadow**: You are like the only one who didn't yell at me.

**Pie of Doomeh**: Your review was plenty long. Kel didn't know about Raoul with her Griffin Powers Dom just wanted some action and wasn't paying attention. LOL stupid yet adorable Dom.

**Theknightofkonaha**: Thank you for the voting and sorry this took so long to update. Just a couple of angry ones. I'm not even going to reply to the PM's that I got. Some of them weren't that nice.

**SarahE7191**: I didn't think about that with the flying thing. I was thinking about the sparrows.

**TheLadyKnightOfTortal**: I loved your review. You didn't say please don't kill Kel or that it would make you sad. You demanded that I not kill her. But you didn't vote!

**BlackWidow12**: sorry about that but here is a new chappy so enjoy.

**Eclipsa**: thanks for the review but you need to vote!

**Mysterious Miko of Moonlight**: Hope you like this nice long chapter. But don't forget to vote.

**Golden Pantha**: What you wrote was really nice. I don't know if I will use it or not because I had in mind what the dialogue would be depending on what one was chosen. If I do use it you will get a lot of acknowledgement though.

**Grace of Masbolle**: Yes I thought the story needed some fluffyness. Thanks for the vote.

**Lioness31**: Sry about that I just know that I am going to get sued because someone read what I wrote and died of shock. I wonder if I can post stories while I am in jail?

**Nativewildmage**: LOL. I actually thought of that one but I didn't think that it sounded Tortallan enough. But I guess I could make it sound more Tortallan. I'll think on it.

**Sydelle Rein**: Sorry 'bout that. Thanks for the vote.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle**: LONG LIVE KEL AND DOM FLUFF!!!! Your review was hilarious. Thanks for the vote.

**Crystaltiger07**: Thanks for the suggestion and vote and reviews. If I used it I will definitely tell you.

**Luna A. Dust**: I love Tobe to. Thanks for the vote and reviews.

**Sarra's wildchild**: thanks for the votes.

**H2Oangel505**: Thanks for the vote and reviews. Much appreciated.

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The rest of the trip back to the palace was two days of tests between Tobe and Kel. Tobe refused to let Kel leave his sight and seemed almost afraid to displease her. Kel in turn found out that he didn't know how to read or write and his speech was as horrible as his manors.

Kel didn't tell Neal but she had observed him putting a spell on the Innkeeper that would make him feel every blow that was dealt out by him. She knew it was useless to say anything to him. He would just get embarrassed that he'd been caught doing a good deed. He liked to play the cynical heartless noble, but it was all for show. Kel wouldn't ruin it for him.

Just before noon on the sixth day Corus was finally in site. Looking upon the high walls of the capitol city brought a flood of memories back to Kel not all of them good. Somehow compared to all of the places she had been and the things she had seen Corus didn't look as imposing as it had when she was a young girl. She knew that somewhere in the depths of the palace the chamber was waiting for her and along with it the answers she so desired. Kel heard an audible sigh rise from most of the company including the King and Queen. They spurred their horses and rode through the gates the younger Knights racing each other to the stables.

Tobe took care of Kel's horses and promised to meet her in her rooms after getting directions. As soon as Kel stepped into the palace she could feel the pull of the chamber but she wasn't ready for it tonight. She tried to ignore the constant tugging she felt at the corners of her mind. It would stay until she went to the chamber.

Kel was given a suit near the Knights quarters. When she entered the door there was a small sitting room that included an armchair and a small sofa both sturdy and light blue in color. The walls were decorated with Yamani paintings that she knew were her mothers. One wall was left empty and had a large weapons rack covering it's expanse. The back wall had a window in it that when Kel opened it had a nice view of a training yard and beyond that a barracks of some sort. There were two doors next to each other on the left wall one leading to a privy and the other leading into a bedroom. Inside the bedroom was a large bed with a small cot for Tobe folded on the floor beside it.

Kel could once again see her mothers touch in here. The comforter on the bed was a russet red with green flowers in intricate patterns running up its sides. There was a wardrobe opposite the bed and a clothespress next to that. There was another window in here that opened up to the same practice yard and a small set of shutters over the bed for ventilation. Sparrows were already fluttering in and out of the open shutters to the food dishes that were sitting on the mantle of a small fireplace. Kel set her bags at the bottom of her bed and went to put her weapons on the rack.

Kel took a moment to grieve for the things that were left in the Islands but didn't know if she wanted to send for them yet. That would mean that Tortal was her new home. That she was excepting the way that Tortal had treated her. But if she didn't stay it would look like she was turning her back on her family. And by staying she would send the message that she supported Tortall and some might think that she was turning her back on Yamani and maybe even the Shang. It disgusted her how the act of deciding where she would live could cause so much disturbance and political unrest. She hated politics but unfortunately had been involved with them more and more often then she wanted. She had learned that when people saw a Shang supporting someone or something they automatically thought that it was right. Because of that blind trust she was more careful about what she supported, not wanting to lead others astray. Kel resolved herself to talk to her father about it; he would know what to do.

Kel was moving to unpack her bags when she heard a knock on the door. "Tobe I told you to just come right in. This is your room too." she said as she opened the door not to Tobe but to Yuki, already changed from her traveling clothes, and several Yamani women. "Oh forgive me." Kel quickly said her face blank. "I thought you were someone else."

"We could leave if you like Keladry; if you are expecting someone else?" Yuki asked her eyes wrinkling in hidden laughter.

"No please come in. I just thought that you were my servant." Kel stepped aside and opened the door wider for the women to enter.

While they passed her Kel scrutinized each one of them. Kel noted that Yuki let the two other women enter before her showing that they were of a higher house. The first woman was in her mid-twenties, clad in a cinnamon-brown kimono over a pale blue one, with a rust colored obi. She wore a variation on the noble woman's style, her hair pulled back and tied with a bronze silk bow, the two short; framing locks accented her pointed chin and serene eyes. The second woman was about five feet and seven inches tall, her complexion peach-golden. Unlike Yuki and the other woman she wore no rice powder or lip paint.

Over a cream-colored inner kimono she wore a golden outer one embroidered with scarlet and gold cranes. Her obi was scarlet, with an ivory figurine of a kimono-clad cat hung below her fan. The short knife carried by all Yamani women was thrust into her obi as well. Her hair, worn in the same very simple style as the other woman was glossy black and scented lightly with jasmine. Each woman carried things for tea. Kel also noticed the five guards in Yamani armor station them selves outside of her door.

Kel turned back towards the room and shut the door nodding to the guards outside. Then she knelt, placed her palms on the floor, and bowed until her forehead touched the wooden boards; bowing to the Yamani Princess standing before her.

"Oh Keladry no don't do that! I am a Tortallan now greet me as you would them. Besides as a future Queen of Tortall I owe you many things." Princess Shinkokami said distressed.

Kel sat up and looked at the princess. Suddenly Kel knew exactly who she was. "Cricket?" she gasped.

"I was so afraid you wouldn't remember me but Yuki said you would." Shinkokami rushed forward to help Kel to her feet.

"I didn't know that you were a member of the imperial house. You were just a play mate. The only one who would talk to me and play with me when I came to visit my parents." Kel said.

"Well the same goes for me. My family was in disgrace with my Uncle the emperor and you treated me normally. I was so upset when you left to go back to Shang training." Shinkokami said. "And please call me Shinko." Shinko directed attention to the other woman. "I think you know of my other attendant Lady Haname noh Ajikuro?"

Kel recognized the name and rank of the women. She bowed to her deeply in Yamani style and the women responded with the same bow.

"If you would like Kel, we brought tea." Yuki said.

"Oh of course, please have a seat." Kel motioned Shinko to the armchair and Yuki and Haname to the couch and sat next to them. The ladies unpacked tea cups, napkins, pastries, small plates, and condiments for the tea. Yuki put a steaming porcelain kettle down in the middle of the table and poured out four cups of green tea. Kel noticed how uncomfortable the women were sitting on the couches and made a note too get a shorter table and some cushions if they visited again.

The women began a relaxed conversation enjoying each others company. During a break in the dialogue Yuki turned to Kel.

"Do you like the decorations in the room? Shinko has been working on it for weeks; as soon as you left Scanra. You should have seen it before. Your mother told her to use the paintings from their apartment do you remember them?" Yuki asked.

Kel looked at Shinko and let a smile show through in her eyes. "I thought my mother had done it, but it is lovely. I realize now that she couldn't have because she was in Mindelan then with me and had not been to the palace since. I appreciate it, you thought of everything."

"We have one more thing but thought we would let you decide where to put them." Shinko said in reply, her eyes reverted to the floor in embarrassment. Kel thought Yuki must have said something even though Shinko asked her not to.

Yuki pulled out a dented medal box from her sash and handed it to Kel. Kel opened the box and saw dozens of handkerchiefs inside. She picked up one handkerchief and felt a weight in it. She unrolled it and a small Yamani waving cat fell out into the palm of her hand. Kel sat it in her lap and unrolled the other handkerchiefs. When she was done she had a dozen waving cats, all different colors, none longer than her thumb, in her lap. Kel looked from the cats, to the box, then to Yuki.

"You left them for Neal when you went away. You told him you would be back for them but didn't want them to be broken on the journey to the islands. I thought you would want to put them somewhere in your room." Yuki explained.

Kel knew exactly what they were the second she opened the box. It was then that she realized how much Neal had suffered from her supposed death. She realized how much he had blamed himself and felt horrible about it and at the same time such anger at the gods for doing this to her friends and family. Not just her family in Tortal but Gaven and Kaven also. She couldn't think of how hard it was for them to not be able to tell her. The gods shouldn't have put them through all that pain. And for what? What good had it done?

Shinko put her clean white hand on Kel's for reassurance and Kel realized just how dirty she was from the traveling. She looked around and saw that all the tea was gone.

"Would you like to join me in the bathhouse?" Kel asked them. "I don't think I could get any dirtier than I am and I just want to soak two months of dirt out of my skin."

"We were going to ask you the same thing. We didn't get a proper bath after practice this morning and Yuki was traveling with you." Shinko said. "Why don't you go get some clothes and we can use the woman's bathes in the royal wing."

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Kel slowly let the hot water envelop her body in its warmth. The water smelled like a mixture of eucalyptus leaves and lavender like most bathhouses in the Yamani islands. All four women sat quietly letting the water and smells sooth them before picking up the conversation where it had stopped.

Kel's body was still not back to what it had been before she was kidnapped and this was the first real chance since then that she was able to look at it. From what Neal told her she was barely alive when they got into the dungeons. Her hand would still get stiff at times but she was told that would go away when everything was healed on its own. She had several new ugly scars to go with the many that she had collected over the years. They stood out from the others still. She had noticed that her clothes still hung loosely from her body but now that she looked at herself she couldn't see her rib bones anymore. Kel knew she needed to gain back some of the muscle she had lost from malnutrition.

A bath attendant handed Kel some soap for her hair. Kel lathered the soap into her hair massaging her scalp. She held her breath and immersed her head under the water shaking it to let it fan out around her. When Kel came back up she watched as the dirt ad sap was carried away down a small waterfall in the corner of the large bath.

They were getting dressed in the changing rooms attached to the baths when Alanna entered the room. Kel, Yuki, Shinko, and Lady Haname bowed to her and she returned with a rather sloppy Yamani bow. Kel had a feeling that Alanna had practiced the bow and this was as good as it got.

"I'm glad I caught you before you went somewhere else for dinner." She said. "Raoul was bullied into a dinner party in his suit and you are invited. It's nothing formal what you are putting on is fine." She looked at Kel. "It is really just to talk things over and find out what you will do. You don't have to tell them if you don't want to."

Kel nodded her head. How was I supposed to tell them what I doing when I don't even know she thought.

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Kel returned to her rooms feeling the cleanest that she had in months. Her plan was to drop off her things and go with the Ladies to Lord Raoul's suit. The women and their guards waited patiently for Kel to open her door; chatting idly in Yamani about the islands.

Kel pushed the door open and turned to answer a question Yuki had asked her. Before she could get anything out of her mouth something small and dark hit her in the stomach and wrapped its arms around her middle knocking her to the ground. The Yamani guards jumped into action one pulling the struggling scrap of humanity off of her, several more entering her rooms to check for anyone else, and the rest pulling the two women into a protective circle their backs to the wall weapons ready. Kel looked up and saw Tobe struggling against the unyielding guard. Tears streaked down his face and between his shouts of rage were sobs.

"Wait." Kel said in Yamani to the guards. "That is my servant. He is fine, let him go."

The guard looked at Shinko who shook her head then set Tobe back on the floor rather roughly. As soon as he hit the floor he charged back at Kel. "You werent' here when I come back an' I looked everywhere but I couldn' find you. I thought you had forgotten me and was gonna leave me an' never come back." He sobbed into her Kimono clutching at the silk sleeves. Kel looked at Yuki and Shinko bewildered; not knowing what to do. Yuki and Shinko hid smiles behind their fans and came to her aid ushering them into her room.

Kel knelt down and made Tobe look at her. "Tobe I would never leave someone behind who needs my help." She told him. Tobe jutted out his chin in defiance at his needing help. "Besides I haven't had this much free time since gods know when. You do things so well and are great with my horses, especially Peachblossom. You are worth your weight in gold just for that."

Tobe smiled his face and ears a deep red, he looked down in embarrassment once again.

"I have to go to a dinner party but I am only going if I know you will be fine." Kel said. Tobe nodded his head yes without looking up from the floor.

"I want to hear you say it." Kel told him firmly.

"I'm alright." Tobe mumbled still refusing to look at her face.

"Good." Kel got up and set her dirty clothes in her bedroom. "Do you know where the servants mess is?" she asked Tobe.

"Yes. I seen it when I was lookin' for you." he replied.

"Good when you are done there you may do whatever you want if all your chores are done. But don't get into trouble. I don't want to have to pick you up from the palace guards." She said as she exited her rooms with the Yamani Ladies and the guards following her.

"I don't know what I am going to do with him." Kel admitted. "I need to talk to Daine or Stephan Groomsmen about his abilities. And if he is going to ride with me he has to have some weapons training. I can teach children but raising them is well beyond my skills. They don't teach you that during Shang training."

"Think about it later Kel. He is safe at the palace for now and you won't be leaving for some time. Just let him enjoy his freedom as well as you should enjoy yours." Shinko said resting her hand on Kel's shoulder.

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When Kel finally let herself fall into bed that night her mind was racing. Now that she had settled down the chamber resumed its buzzing in her ears. Her bones ached from the pressure of holding it back all day.

Kel went over the supper in her head trying to figure out if she had done the right thing. When the King asked her if she would be staying or going back to the Yamani Islands Kel had hesitated. She and her father had not been able to talk yet and she wanted to talk with him before she made any decision. To buy herself more time Kel told the King that she had to go into their chamber before she could answer them. All of the knights present looked at her with haunted eyes and white faces. Kel was used to the look from people who knew what the chambers did but it didn't make her any less nervous. They aren't the ones who have to go into it she thought.

She also asked the King to have the whole corridor and the chapel closed off for her tomorrow. She would go in to meditate at sunrise and after three hours she would enter the chamber and finally get the answers she wanted.

Kel let the noises of the night fall around her like a blanket. Tobe was snoring quietly on his cot right outside of the bedroom door. She felt the small bodies of sparrows huddled together on one of her pillows. Dogs howled somewhere on the palace grounds. The breeze rustled the branches of trees outside blowing more of the coppery golden leaves to the ground. Somewhere she heard soft music playing. Kel gathered all of those sounds together and drifted into a calming sleep.

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Next chapter is the chamber!!!!!! What we have all been waiting for. I wonder how it will turn out. (I haven't written any of it yet.)

**I NEED YOUR HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

Which one of these do you think should be on Kel's grave stone? Put your answer in the reviews please.

1) Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. Flavia Weedn,

2) The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth. Chinese Proverb

3) Even if we are occupied with important things and even if we attain honor or fall into misfortune, still let us remember how good it once was here, when we were all together, united by a good and a kind feeling which made us perhaps better than we are.

4) The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on.


	22. The Chamber

First let me just say I am sooooooooo sorry for how long this took I reread the Realms of the Gods so that I would know more about the Devine Realms. Also I had a lot of work to do. I hope you enjoy I tried to make it extra long for you all.

**TheLadyKnightofTortal**: Hmmmm…. I hope you like the twists I put in..Well I didn't really put in that many nothing like you had suggested but at least it was something.

**sirLadyKnight**: I agree the last chapter was rushed at the end. I skipped that whole dinner thing because I didn't want it to be one of those typical dinner scenes and really nothing eventful would have happened. Thanks for the review though. I can't believe you read the whole thing at once!!!

**Grace of Masbolle**: thanks for the review and vote.

**Pie of Doomeh**: This chapter is extra long just for you well really I also felt guilty. Woot, I love that word Brogan used to say it all the time.

**Insane- I don't think so**: I love your name. Anyway thanks for the vote.

**shadowgryffyn**: Thanks for voting. I still haven't counted the votes yet I am so bad.

**K.D.Rai**: Sorry it took so long thank you for the vote and the review.

**Theknightofkonaha**: Glad you still love it and once again I am so sorry this took so long more than a month!!!!

**Skysong**: I had a problem with that in the beginning I was putting in spaces and it was just deleting them. It took a couple of chapters until I figured out why.

**LadyKnightSusan**: Oh yeas the chamber!! Dundundunnnnnnnnnn

**Mysterious Miko of Moonlight**: I was actually afraid to put in Tobe because I was trying to make it different but in the end I decided to put him, Yuki, and Shinko in there but in a different way. I'm glad you liked it.

**Illyxia**: I'm glad you liked the story.

**Swift Shadow**: Mine always get backed up I will get like 15 reviews in my email on one day when they came in like a week before. It drives me crazy.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle**: More Dom is always welcome so I did just a tiny tiny bit of him at the end being the gentlemen that he always is but next chapter there will be plenty of Dom and Neal.

**Charmedgirl90**: Thank you for the vote.

**Darksychoqueen**: Sorry this took so long please don't be mad at me look I made a nice long chapter.

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Kel entered the chapel barefoot wearing a white shirt and a pair of thin cotton breaches. Her hair was wet still from her cleansing bath and hung in tendrils down her back soaking the thin material of her shirt causing her to shiver.

The early morning sun shown through the high windows down onto the fifteen rows of pews divided in half by a walkway. The walkway led to the alter where the only decorations in the whole chapel were present. The golden candlesticks and the golden chain mail cloth covering the alter glinted off of the sun illuminating the area in an eerie golden light. The sun had not yet reached the great sun disk that was positioned above the alter.

To the right of the sun disk was the chamber. Its iron door called out to Kel pulling her towards it against her will. Kel fought it and could feel its frustration. Kel slowly walked towards the alter, the chamber pulling at her as she got closer. She told her feet to stop but they went on another three steps until she made herself fall to her knees so she didn't go any farther. Her right knee split open as it hit the flagstones, red flowing freely between the stones. Kel ignored it. Her breathing was laborious the chamber pushing its pressure around her like a vise. Kel folded her hands in her lap and bent her head closing her eyes. Kel let her Yamani and Shang training kick in. She ignored her surroundings and retreated into her mind. She let her mind leave the discomfort of her body. Still in her mind she could feel the pressure of the chamber and the god inside of it. She could see its sexless face hovering in front of her body, calling to her. Kel focused her minds eye on the alter taking in every detail about it. Soon it struck her that if she had been allowed to become a knight she would have done this same thing last year. The irony of the situation struck her so hard that she almost lost control of herself. Kel started thinking about the questions that she would ask the ordeal until she was as calm as she knew she could get.

_It is time Keladry_. The chamber said inside of her head.

Kel opened her eyes and stood up. The suns glint off the sun disk on the wall told her that she had been meditating for two hours not her customary three. Her stiff legs protested every step of the way to the chamber. When she reached it the doors were shut. Kel reached out with her hands and placed them onto the iron surface. It was like placing her hands in a fire but she knew she couldn't take them away. Kel heard a pop and the door swung inward. She looked down at her hands which were raw and blistering from the heat, skin was peeling off of them at the palms and she could smell the burnt flesh. Kel rubbed them on her pants and noticed the gash that was in her knee. The whole front of her left pants leg below the knee was stained red with the blood. Kel was startled out of the silent concentration she was in by the reality of the injury. Kel stood looking at the stained fabric shivering from fear. This is ridiculous she thought I have had way worse injuries then this. This is only minor, only a scraped knee and a burn. Why is this bothering me so much? Because I feel safe when I am in a chamber and that I let my guard down, she answered herself. She shook the feeling away from her and straightened up to look at the chamber door again which now stood slightly open.

Kel walked into the chamber. As soon as she was inside the door slammed closed behind her plunging her into complete darkness.

Kel stood in the darkness waiting for the chamber to take her to the simple field where it usually took her. She waited several minutes until her patience was exhausted.

"Where are you? She called out cursing the chamber. "We need to talk right now!" Kel yelled.

Kel felt herself being pulled from the chamber and closed her eyes, she hated the feeling. It felt like she was being burned from the inside out. It only lasted a moment but that was almost too much to handle.

When the sensation was over with Kel felt a breeze pick up her hair and whip it around her face cooling her off. She kept her eyes closed gathering her strength around her in preparation to wrestle answers out of the chamber.

When she opened her eyes she saw the shapeless field but her audience was someone entirely different and sent her into a fighting stance faster than a hummingbird flaps its wings.

Joren stood before her unmoving watching her with a steady gaze. His blue eyes were devoid of the coldness that she remembered. Instead they were gentle more human than she ever seen them. His white blonde hair was cut short instead of long and pulled back into a horsetail. He looked to be about 18 years old and had obviously grown up since she had last seen him. Kel had heard that when you entered the realms of the gods you didn't age so she expected this was what he looked like when he had died.

Next to him was a high backed chair made from glass. The chair was occupied by a muscular man who Kel guessed was in his thirties. His skin was pale but not sickly white. His red hair was cut short the bangs hanging over his piercing green eyes. He was wearing a golden robe with blue breaches underneath. Kel could see his muscles through the opened robe. In his lap sat a black cat with startling purple eyes. Just like Alanna's, Kel thought.

"Greetings Keladry. You have taken some time to get here. I hear you have some complaints for me." The man said.

Kel looked from the man to the cat then to Joren. "Who are you?" she asked.

"I am the god who rules over the chambers. I have taken on a human form to make it easier to speak with you, and for my servant." He said motioning to his body. "And since we have never properly met, you may call me Enan."

The cat jumped off of his lap with Enans movements and twined itself between Kels ankles rubbing its cheek against her shin. _Welcome_ he said his voice sounding in her mind. _Don't let him bother you he can be very vein but he has a good heart and generally wants to help._

"This," Enan said pointing to the cat. "Is Faithful, a representative of the great council of gods." He paused. "I am sure that you remember my servant, Joren." He finished. Joren bowed deeply to Kel. "As I remember you were very mad at me when you decided to come visit me."

"Yes. And I still am. I have done everything that you have every asked me to. I followed every one of your dreams without any explanation. I took care of the band of Tauros that were on the coast. I killed three whole nests of spidren. I found your chamber in The Copper Isles. I killed Stenmun and Balyce. I deserve to have all of my questions answered." Kel said defiantly counting off her reasons on her fingers.

"Alright." he answered simply folding his hands in his lap. He lifted his eyebrows expectantly for the questions.

"That's it?" She asked incredulously. Enan nodded his head. Kel gave up trying to keep her emotions under control and burst out in a flow of Yamani curses. If she had known it would be this easy she wouldn't have wasted her time thinking up all those questions and training her mind.

Joren's eyes opened wide in shock. Since he had come to the chamber's land to be Enan's personal servant he had learned a lot. At first he was always in pain. Every time that he disobeyed Enan he was punished, and the god never used the same punishment. Enan said it was to teach him respect and punish him for the wrong he had done while he had been alive. Gradually he started to change and after a time he wasn't being punished anymore. That was when Enan told him that he was going to be his personal servant, waiting on him hand and foot. Joren was fine with that and it occurred to him that while he had been alive he never would have been willing to do that. He tried his best not to think about what it was like when Enan was punishing him. He didn't know pain like that existed.

He could still remember the day Enan first showed him images of Kel. He had never forgotten about her, even after death. While he was alive he thought of her every day. He had thought that after she was gone his life could go on just as before but he had been wrong. He had lost his friends and ruined his family's reputation over it. Everyone thought that he had had something to do with her death. Even though it had never been proved he had heard the rumors.

To him it had just been a convenient coincident, the perfect ending for her. After her death he couldn't help thinking of her. He wondered if given the chance she really could have been better than him, and why he had let revenge on her consume him so much. He became obsessed with her, searching for Kel's body at any chance he could get just to prove that she was dead. It consumed him until his death. After his death and during Enan's discipline of him he blamed her. Everyday, every new sore and new wound, every punishment he grew to hate her even more. Until one day Enan walked him to a table with a shallow green bowl full of clear liquid. Enan dipped his finger into it and motioned for Joren to look into the bowl.

The images that he saw are engraved into his brain forever. First he saw Balyce the Gallen's work room and witnessed his ruthless killing of children to make his killing devices. He saw fields of Tortallan soldiers and civilians with limbs cut off, heads separated from bodies, and torsos cut up like ribbons. He saw the faces of his friends and enemies alike among the bodies. His mother and sisters were clutching each other in a bloody pile under a tree, his fathers body was frozen in time fleeing the scene only to be cut up by another monster seconds later.

Joren was filled with rage and asked Enan why he showed him this. Enan just pointed at the bowl. Joren looked again and saw to his ultimate shock Kel leaning against a wall on a staircase. She was older now, taller, and she looked like she could take on the world without even flinching. He looked closer and saw a dead man the size of a bear at her feet. He watched her bind her wounds and move on up the staircase to take on a new challenge. Joren saw her kill Balyce and felt a sense of pride in her and justice in the deaths.

After that he started to change. He continued to watch her with Enan from then on and he had come to know her in a way he had never known anyone before.

Now to see her angry like this was the last thing he expected of her. He had been in shock when he first saw her. Her pant leg was soaked with blood and he could smell burnt flesh. Now she was ranting in a language he didn't understand,

"Now Kel is that anyway to talk to your patron God?" Enan asked. "I said I will answer your questions. Everyone just sit down and I will answer them as best as I can." Enan snapped his fingers and a table with two chairs appeared in front of him. Another snap and three cups, a pitcher, and a bowl of milk appeared on the table. Kel sat down opposite from Enan, and Joren sat beside him. Kel looked sideways at Joren trusting him about as much as she trusted the trickster god. Faithful jumped gracefully onto the table and sniffed the bowl of milk.

_Very funny Enan_. Faithful said cocking his head to the side and swiping his claws at the god. Then he laid down on his side right in the middle of the table so that he could look at all three faces. When he looked at Kel she shivered. Is this how people feel when they looked into my eyes she thought?

"Well what is your first question? I'll answer as many as you want." Enan said folding his hands on the table in front of him.

"First I want to know what he is doing here." Kel said pointing at Joren.

Joren looked down at his lap. He knew that Kel had every reason to hate him, gods he even hated himself. Enan looked at Joren then answered Kel's question. "Really I was thinking about you when I did it. I knew that he couldn't change and what he would become; his life would end up much like Stunmun Kinslayer. I knew I could prevent it when he came into the chamber so I did. I couldn't help but think of you when I was deciding his fate and how you give people a second chance. This is his second chance. He is my servant and I have washed all the unrighteous hate from his heart. He will serve me until I feel that he is ready to go to the realm of death as a pure soul. Then I will let him go."

"Oh." Kel tried to wrap her mind around what he had said and wanted to ask more questions about Joren but not yet. Instead she looked at him untrustingly and kept her guard up. "Why did you make me loose my memory?" She asked disregarding her intricately planed questions.

"That is being very direct Keladry." Enan said with a chuckle. He rubbed his chin with a strong hand and looked at her solemnly. "Do you remember the Sea of Sand?" he asked her. With his words a distant memory came to Kel of a dry hot landscape with nothing in sight but sand and blistering sun. She felt the air around her get hot and stifling and could feel the sand as needle points on her skin. She licked her suddenly dry lips and looked at Enan.

"All I remember is what it looked like… I think." She answered honestly trying to shake of the heat that she knew wasn't really there.

"The Sea of Sand is a large desert in the Divine Realms where gods send their chosen ones to be tested. Enan looked at her intently while he spoke. "If they survive it is a sign that their mortal uncleanness has been seared away."

"What kinds of tests?" Kel choked out through her parched throat.

"Mental, physical, and emotional among other things." He answered.

Kel was almost afraid to ask the next question. "Did I go there?" She forced herself to ask.

"Yes." Enan answered. "You had to be tested. I had meant to wait but certain circumstances, which I am not willing to disclose to you, occurred and the testing was needed. But you passed and are perfectly fine."

"Sure, unless you don't count the lost memory of my whole entire family and half of my friends for seven years not to mention that I still can't account for a week of my life." Kel yelled back at him. "How could you send an eleven year old to a desert in the divine realms for a week?"

"It was only for three days. The rest of the time you were recovering." When Kel didn't say anything Enan continued. "I can't tell you what happened to you during the time that you were there but I assure you that your age and experience were taken into consideration when you were given you tests. I wouldn't have let you die." He said in a quieter voice.

Kel looked up at him and saw that he meant what he said. "That still doesn't explain the memory loss." She wasn't mad at him anymore but still wanted some answers.

"Right," Enan said. "When you were taken into the Devine Realms it was in a rush. The transfer between the two worlds can be hard on some people. You don't have a great magical gift or any relation to a god so you took the full brunt of what I couldn't shield you from. The transition affects everyone differently, for you it was in your head, you had lost your memory of you family and the previous year. I believe the reason that you lost only those memories was because of your desire to have not gone to the palace at all, although I can never prove that theory for sure. Your recovery was swift and with in two days you were sent into the Sea of Sand where you performed and passed all of the tests given to you. You were brought back to my home in the Devine Realms to recover for two days. Then we took you and your horse to the islands and dropped you near your home."

While Enan was speaking Kel was seeing images inside of her mind. First she saw herself from above riding on Peachblossom behind a large guard whom she recognized as the man who was taking her to the port to board the boat to The Islands. Suddenly a shimmering silver circle appeared in front of Peachblossom and Kel rode directly into it. At the same time she saw an arrow pierce through the neck of the guard and men storming through the trees shouting only to find that Kel wasn't there. The next image she saw was of the desert again only this time she saw herself from above once as before. She was wielding her glaive against a number of attacking immortals. Just beyond the wall of immortals she could make out a group of animals, men, and women all glowing with silver light sitting around a table watching the scene intently. Kel took them to be the gods that Enan had spoken of when he said _we_.

"Why couldn't you have given me the memory back and why haven't I heard about anyone going into the Sea of Sand before?" Kel asked once the images had stopped.

"No one is allowed to remember what happens when they are in the Sea of Sand and if they do for some reason they are not allowed to speak of it. So your memory of the event was washed away when you entered the mortal realm again. Unfortunately with it went the fresh memory that I had restored." Enan looked down at his hands guiltily. "I didn't realize until you came in for your ordeal and by that time it was to late for it to be handled in the ordinary fashion, you were needed elsewhere."

"Why couldn't Gaven tell me then? He said he tried to but I would forget right away." Kel looked at him puzzled.

"Things that are created in the Devine Realms go by different rules than things that are created in the mortal realms." Enan explained. "It is the same for things that are taken away in the Devine Realms. You would have had to return to the Devine Realms right away to regain your memory. The only other way that you could remember was through a magical dream. It took several years for us to be able to find the best way and the best people to do it. Even in the Devine Realms it is a task rarely performed."

Kel was silent for a time going over what was just said in her head. Her questions had been answered but just barely. She had a feeling that she would have to be satisfied with the answers she had received. "I remember the guard dying and men coming through the woods, what happened?" She asked Enan.

"Whether you had guessed it or not Maggur was not completely unaided by Devine forces. Several years ago when the forces of Chaos were rebelling a dream was sent to Maggur from one of the Chaos leaders. In it he saw you and was warned about the threat you would be to his life. He tracked you down, which wasn't that hard because of the fuss you made in Tortal, and sent trained men to kill you." Enan threw his hands up into the air dramatically reminding Kel of Neal. "And I hadn't meant to tell you that either. I just can't say no to you Kel."

Kel looked at Enan. "So, Maggur knew who I was when he had me captured." She asked.

"I believe he did. And if he didn't I am sure he had suspicions about it." Enan answered.

Kel had most of her questions answered in someway or another except one. She drew in a breath and quickly asked. "Did a god tell Wlydon not to let me stay or was it his own choice and if a god did tell him not to let me stay would I have made it?"

Enan looked at her puzzled. "What does it matter that you were sent away? You became a warrior either way. It did work out better for the gods but that was mere coincidence. We saw an opportunity and took it. You are a better warrior as a Shang than if you had stayed to be a knight. But in the end you are still the same person, nothing can change who you are or who you will become."

Kel was stuck on the beginning of his answer. Really what did it matter? A title such as knight or Shang didn't define who she was as a person, a warrior, or even a leader. They were only classifications that people used to make themselves feel important. You don't have to go around killing immortals or hill bandits to be a hero. A person who stands up for themselves and others was just as much of a hero as a knight. Her father who hadn't lifted a weapon in years was a hero for uniting two nations with a marriage. Even the parent who does what they can for there children to have a good life is a hero Kel thought. And being a knight or warrior didn't automatically make someone a hero either. It was what they did with their power and authority that made them heroes. I have been so caught up on what I could have been to realize that I would still be the same person whatever had happened to me Kel thought. A smile crept over Kels lips and she looked up at Enan.

"Thank you." She told him. "I wish someone had told me that a long time ago."

Enan smiled at her. "So do you have anymore questions or have I in all my wonderful godliness answered them?" He asked leaning back in his chair putting his hands behind his head.

"No I don't think so." Kel answered looking around at her surroundings for the first time. There were flower gardens, trees with benches under them, and a small cottage in the distance. "I like what you did with the place." Kel told him.

"It wasn't me, Joren did it; he lives here in my gardens." Enan said. Kel looked at Joren in disbelief that he had created something so beautiful.

"People can change, Keladry." Joren said in a soft whisper not lifting his eyes to hers, they were the first words Kel had heard him say.

Kel sat still thinking of what to say to him. She looked at Enan for help but got nothing but a smug smile. He still feels guilty, should he feel guilty she thought. Enan obviously thought he had changed and Kel found herself agreeing with him. She got up from her chair and went to stand next to Joren and put her hand on his shoulder. Joren jumped out of his thoughts and stood up in front of her

Kel looked into his eyes without using her griffin's gift, she didn't need to. Joren's eyes were filled with hope and love and regret. "People do change Joren and you aren't the only one who did things wrong. I am only telling you this because I feel that you need to hear it to fully forgive yourself. I forgive you for everything." She said. Kel extended her right hand to Joren. He looked down at her hand then back up into her eyes. Tears streaked down his cheeks and he extended his own shaky hand towards hers. At the last second he pulled her into a strong hug startling everyone at the table. Joren pulled away just as quickly and sat back down.

"It's getting late Kel you should probably get going." Enan told her his voice on the verge of laughing. "I think I am going to give you a rest for a time. The mortal world will be fine without you protecting it for the next couple of months I will just have to do some work of my own. Take in some of the joys of life, fall in love, and take some time for yourself. I saw that kiss by the way; he seems like a nice boy." Enan looked at her smirking again.

_Could you do me a favor_, faithful asked her. _Could you tell Alanna that I am proud of her? Tell her that she made all the right choices even without me being there to guide her._

"Of course," She told the cat scratching him behind his ears. "Good-bye Joren. I hope to see you next time I come back." Joren stood up and bowed to her in good-bye.

"Are you ready?" Enan asked.

"Yes." Kel replied. Before she had even finished the word she felt the burning fire inside of her body. It was over in seconds and she felt the solid stone floor of the chamber under her hands and knees. The sensation was gone but not the pain. Kel felt the burns on her hands and the cuts in her knees pain which had been absent in Enan's garden. "He could have just healed them for me." She grumbled. Kel struggled to get to her feet and the floor yawned away from her then bounced back into place. "Great I wonder how much blood I lost as I was sitting there." She asked the silent chamber. Kel steadied herself against the wall and used it to stumble to the door. When she reached it she leaned her full weight against it to push it open. With a groan the doors swung open dropping Kel onto the flagstones on its threshold. Her head hit the floor first followed by the rest of her body. The last thing she saw before she fainted was Dom yelling at someone behind her and a green haze clouding her vision.

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	23. Neal spys with his green eye some fluff

This Fic is almost over!!! I can't believe it. I think I only have about two or three chapters left and then I am going to get working on another one. I have the whole plot worked out in my head already and I can't wait to get started on it. It is going to be another Kel/Dom fic set after Lady Knight. Anyway I am definitely going to finish this one before I even start to write the other.

**BlackWidow12: **Thank you for the review I tried to get this one up faster than last time.

**Grace of Masbolle: **Thanks. Only a couple of more chapters left.

**LadyKnightSusan: **Yah, I guess that was kind of a cliffhanger sorry about that. Hope this fluffyness makes up for it.

**CrystalTyger07: **I'll try to do it more often these are the last chapters so I want to make them great.

**Theknightofkonaha: **I didn't either I just didn't have time to update and I didn't want to do a bad job on such an important chapter.

**Pie of Doomeh: **Yes, back from the dead, well sort of, three tests in one day? Are you having finals? I had two in one day at University that was tough. Well good luck with them.

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle: **I love Enan too. I wasn't sure how people would react to him but I wanted to put the god of the chamber into a human form. And I got from what was written in the books that the chamber had a sense of humor so I had to add that in. I don't really like how the part with Faithful went. I put more fluffyness into this so I hope that you like it.

**Ham-the-First: **Thanks for the good luck I think maybe that if why I got this chapter done so fast.

**Darkpyschoqueen: **Thanks I told everyone that I had a good spot for Joren that they just had to wait.

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Kel became aware of being carefully carried in someone's arms. Then the sound of Gaven's angry voice registered in her ears.

"She is never going in there again. What happened? Did she have to fight with the thing?" She could hear fear in his voice as well as rage.

She wanted to tell him that she was fine but all she managed was a moan. When she moaned the person carrying her stopped and she felt hands on her temples.

"Kel," Neal asked. Kel tried to answer again but couldn't make her body do what her mind wanted it to. "Alanna, why isn't she answering?" Neal asked franticly.

"She hit her head Neal, calm down, she will be fine. All of you just calm down." Alanna answered her voice filled with exasperation.

Kel fell into unawareness again letting her head sink down on her carriers shoulder.

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Kel wasn't ready to wake up but the dog that was barking outside of her window seemed to demand it. She was laying in her bed with her eyes closed trying to drown out the noise when she heard someone open the bedroom door and come inside. The footsteps were matched with a clicking sound on the floor.

"Jump, go tell those dogs to be quite or to go somewhere else." A familiar male voice said. Kel heard a soft woof of a reply then the sound of a dog jumping onto the window sill then to the ground below it. Moments later the barking stopped completely. The man left her room after straightening her covers and kissing her brow. Kel drifted back to sleep.

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Dom closed Kel's bedroom door softly so he would not disturb her. He looked around the sitting room at all of the quiet activities going on in it. Yuki was sitting at a table under the open window with Tobe. Tobe was carefully drawing out letters on a chalk slate under Yuki's watchful eye. She would occasionally point something out to him and he would hurriedly redo it then look at her for approval. Kel's mother was sitting in a chair working on a needlepoint with Princes Shinko. Kel's father was talking with her brother Anders and Neal on the couch, a conversation which Dom had been involved with moments ago. Kaven had pilled up some of the Yamani pillows in the corner of the room and had fallen asleep some time ago. Gaven was kneeling down at the low table cleaning his armor occasionally participating in the conversations. Dom returned to the couch after pouring himself a cup of cold tea.

Neal greeted him with a nod. "I can't hear the dogs, what did you do?" He asked.

"Jump took care of them. I don't know why they are up at this hour anyway." Dom answered. "What time is it anyway?"

"I heard the third bell of the morning awhile ago." Piers answered. Dom grunted a reply before taking a deep drink from his cup. When he lifted his arm he felt the stiffness of the dried blood on his shirt. Dom looked down at the once white fabric which was now stained with blood from when he had carried Kel back to her room after she had fainted in the chamber. He knew he should go and change but didn't have the energy and he didn't want to leave incase Kel woke up.

"Captain Domitan if you don't mind me asking, how is it that you know my daughter?" Lady Ilaine asked looking up from her needlepoint. The room fell silent with her question and all eyes turned towards Dom.

"I was with Neal when we were in Maggur's dungeons. We talked and got to know each other there. After that we spent some time together on the way home and she helped me with training my men." Dom answered. He hadn't found it odd that he was here because he loved Kel, but they didn't know that and he wasn't about to tell them. Apparently they were all wondering why I was here but were too polite to ask he thought.

"Being second in charge of the Kings own seems like it would take a lot of time and responsibility." Ilaine commented before going back to her work.

"Yes it is a lot of work but it is satisfying. I don't think I would rather be doing anything else. I can't even imagine doing anything else." Dom answered.

"Your parents must be very proud of you." Ilaine said. "But weren't they upset when they found out you couldn't marry? Surely they would have had a lovely girl waiting to marry you."

Dom's face reddened slightly but he answered her. "I am the youngest of five brothers and two sisters. My older brothers are all knights and all have wives and children. My parents gave us all the option of doing whatever it was that we wanted. Being a knight was all right but the Kings Own caught my fancy so I waited and joined when I was sixteen. My parents understood my decision and gave me their blessings." Dom took a sip of his tea then continued. "Both my parents and I understood the restrictions put on the members of the Kings Own so they decided to let me choose my own path in life."

"So then you don't plan on marrying?" Ilaine asked innocently removing a stitch that she had just put in.

Dom's face grew even brighter. What is she trying to get me to say he thought? "At the moment I can't but if I am put in charge after Raoul retires who knows. I have a feeling that he will be staying home a lot more after he marries Burie" he answered simply.

Ilaine went want to her work apparently having received her desired answers and the room was filled with activity again. Piers looked at his wife wondering what her motives had been in asking the Commander such personal questions and decided on asking her later in private. Dom meanwhile was feeling like he had just gone through an important interview. It felt like the talk he had with Raoul before he was promoted to second in command. He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes dreaming about a possible future he could have with Kel.

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The next time Kel woke it was because of her growling belly. She looked out of the window and saw that the sun was just beginning to shine over the tops of the buildings around the training yard. I have to get out of bed this time she told herself. Before she threw her covers off Kel moved several sparrows to her pillow so they didn't get crushed. Kel heaved herself from the bed and pulled on her dressing gown and slippers. Using the bed for support she made it to the privy. Kel examined her head in the mirror and saw a large knot above her left eye. It was still red but the swelling was gone and whatever cut had been there had been healed. Her hands were bandaged loosely in white gauze so she unwrapped them to see the damage. They were still tender but there were no open wounds so she decided to leave them unwrapped.

Kel washed her face and neck in the bowl of cold water sitting on the stand then brushed out her hair. She found a dark blue shirt, her underclothes, and a pair of linen breaches and put them on. As she did this she examined her knee and saw a fine scar running from the top of it to half way down her shin. "And I thought it was just a little scrape." She thought out loud. She sat on her bed to catch her breath then pulled on a pair of soft leather Yamani boots.

When she exited her room she couldn't believe what she saw. People and cots were scattered all over her sitting room. Empty dishes and bowls of fruits and cakes as well as pitchers and cups were covering just about every inch of table space available. Books, polished armor, and sowing supplies were strewn around the sitting area. After her immediate shock she hobbled over to one of the chair which was piled with blankets and took a pear from the bowl beside it. She sat on the arm of her chair and looked around the destruction of her sitting room. Looking around she started to pick out whom it was exactly that had made this mess.

First she saw her mother who was curled up as much as her height would allow her at one end of the couch. Her father was on the other sitting straight up as if he had only fallen asleep moments ago. Next she spotted Yuki sleeping in a cot while Neal slept in another cot next to her. Tobe had fallen asleep in the corner under her weapons rack. Kel saw that he clutched a writing tablet and a small book to his chest. Kaven as well as Gaven had piled together all of the Yamani pillows and had made beds out of those. Kels brother Anders had fallen asleep sitting in a chair with his bad leg propped up at an odd angle on the table. They must have sat up all night Kel thought. They looked so quiet and peaceful she didn't dare wake any of them up. She sat on the arm of the chair finishing the fruit she was eating. Breaking the silence a muffled shriek from Neal made her jump and almost choke on her pear. She started coughing and tried to silence the sound with her hand. When she got herself under control she tried to listen to what Neal was saying.

"Don't let the chicken get away! He has my golden ticket!" Neal turned over in his sleep and what ever else he had to say about the chicken and the golden ticket was lost into the pillow. Kel couldn't help but giggle over her friends dream.

"Kel is that you?" Kel jumped once again at the sound of the voice. She looked around and saw that everyone was still asleep. Suddenly the pile of blankets on the chair moved and spoke again. "What is on top of me?"

"Dom," Kel asked. Her only answer was a barely audible groan. The blankets were pushed off of the chair and Dom emerged from the tangles of fabric. Kel stepped back to allow room for him but stumbled on her weak knee.

Dom caught her arm and made her sit in the chair. "Sit down. Why are you up and about already? You need to be in bed." He asked rather harshly.

I'll just accredit that to the lack of sleep she thought. "I just woke up and I was hungry. Why are you all camped out in my sitting room?" She asked.

"We were worried about you. I was worried about you." Dom said grabbing her hand and looking into her eyes. Kel's breath caught in her throat just like every time that he looked at her like that.

"I didn't mean to worry you I just had to find some answers. And I did Dom; you will never guess what happened." She was about to continue but Dom cut her off.

"Is it bad?" He asked.

"Well, no." Kel answered.

"Life threatening, career destroying, treasonous?"

"No."

"Well then we can talk about it later." Dom said bringing his face closer to hers. Kel leaned forward eager for a kiss. When their lips met Kel was sure that she heard something but blocked it out, she only had enough room in her mind now for the passion and love that she felt for Dom. When they broke the kiss they were both breathless and just grinned at each other.

Kel looked around for the source of the sound that she had heard but instead her eyes fell on Dom's shirt. She looked up at his face again worry in her eyes. "Dom what happened to you? You're hurt." Kel reached up and fingered the dried blood on the fabric.

"That is blood from your head when I carried you back here. Any hurt that I had is gone now that you are better." Kel blushed and turned her face up for another kiss. After receiving it she wrinkled her nose.

"Dom I think you had better go and change your shirt and maybe go to the bath house. What were you doing, rolling with pigs?" She asked jokingly.

Dom thought back to what he had been doing before everyone had heard the loud boom emanate from the chamber and had come running. "Better yet." He said smiling. "I was practicing my wrestling with Neal." He gave her another peck on the cheek before he stood up. "But I shall spare the fair maiden from my horrendous stench and leave her presence only to return when I am suitable presentable to be in the company of the Protector of the Small." Dom cried out dramatically. Kel shushed him but couldn't help giggling at his actions. "For now my love," Dom said before dramatically sweeping out of the door blowing her a kiss from the doorway.

Kel sat back in the chair relishing in the moment she had just spent with Dom before she woke everyone up.

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Neal who had been thankfully woken up from one of his recurring nightmares by someone coughing couldn't believe what he had just seen and was for once in his life speechless. He had been irritated at first about being woken up and was even more surprised when the first thing that he saw when he opened his eyes had been his cousin and his best friend passionately kissing each other in a kiss that could easily have matched ones that he often shared with Yuki. He watched on as the two shared a short lover's interlude and found himself horrified by it but couldn't figure out why.

After Dom left he closed his eyes again and tried to figure it out. He knew he was definitely against it, what ever _it_ was. But why, he asked himself. Didn't he act much the same way with Yuki? Yes he did but that was different, they were betrothed and have known each other for more than two months. Plus they were sneaking around. Was it maybe because he was being protective of Kel? He knew that he had seen something between them when they were inside of Maggur's dungeons but how could it have progressed this fast so soon? Maybe it was because of Dom's reputation that he felt so odd about it. No, he thought, for all that he has the reputation Neal knew that it wasn't true. Dom hadn't slept with even a forth of the women that were rumored to have slept with him, if that many.

Finally it struck him why he was so against it and when it did he felt extremely childish. The reason is that they didn't tell me he thought. I'm sure they would have eventually but Dom is my cousin and Kel is one of my best friends, I should have been the first to know he contemplated angrily. I wonder if anyone else knows Neal wondered. Suddenly the conversation that Dom had with Kel's mother came into his mind. Well at least she knows Neal thought.

He emerged from his thoughts when he heard people waking up around him. He sat up and looked at Kel whose face was once again Yamani smooth just like her mothers, her fathers, and his own fiancés. He remembered the smile that had been on her face when she was with Dom and decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. Anybody who could make his friend smile like that deserved to have a chance and Neal would make sure that they did. But he had gotten Kel back once and almost lost her last night again he couldn't let that happen. He had to decide if letting Dom into her life would help him or make it harder.

Neal looked over and saw that Yuki had woken up and was sitting next to him. She smiled at him and Neal weakly returned the smile. Yuki looked at him questioningly but Neal was still looking at Kel. From the look in his eyes Yuki saw that something was really upsetting him. "I think I need some time to think. I'm going for a walk." He told Yuki. Neal got up and left the room without another word.

Kel looked up and saw him leaving then looked back at Yuki. Yuki shrugged her shoulders but Kel would tell even behind her guarded eyes that she was as worried about Neal as Kel was.

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Sorry this chapter was so short. But I really wanted to get it up.


	24. VOTING RESULTS

Here are the voting results just in case you were wondering.

WINNER IS #1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1) Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same. Flavia Weedn, (15 votes)

2) The miracle is not to fly in the air, or to walk on the water, but to walk on the earth. Chinese Proverb (2 Votes)

3) Even if we are occupied with important things and even if we attain honor or fall into misfortune, still let us remember how good it once was here, when we were all together, united by a good and a kind feeling which made us perhaps better than we are. (Five Votes)

4) The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on. (10 Votes)

Just thought you might want to know that the voting was over.


	25. Putting things together

**A/N:** Hey everyone. I can't believe that this is almost over!! I only have one more chapter left and I am having a hard time writing it. I love every one of you reviewers and I really don't want to end it but all good things have to come to an end. Anyway I hope that you love it.

**LadyKnightSusan**: Good I'm glad I redeemed myself; here is a little more fluffyness and a different kind of fluffyness, friendship fluffyness.

**Grace of Masbolle**: Thanks I hope this one lives up to me apparently wonderful previous chapters. I can't believe it's almost over.

**Theknightofkonaha**: I know it was short and this one isn't much longer but packed with emotions.

**Psylocke2216**: Wow, I can't believe you reviewed for every chapter. Not that I mind I just can't believe you sat down and read the whole thing at once! Just a couple comments on your reviews… I don't practice with Brogan anymore I don't need anymore scars. No I wouldn't let you die of boredom. The Ganiel thing I did make a mistake with that. I actually realized that like two weeks ago when I was rereading The Realms of the Gods. I was considering going back and changing it but I haven't. Stan Lee, the comic book guy?

**Mrs. Dom Masbolle**: You totally stole the idea right out of my mind. Witch, get her! Just kidding. I actually wrote it a lot like what you said so I'm sure that you will like it. So upon your insistence here is a new chapter.

**Tearainy**: Ohhh, a new reviewer!! You made me so happy, umm yah here is another chapter so hope you enjoy.

**Pie of Doomeh**: I know I am so mean to Neal but I'm like Peachblossom, I love to hear him squeal.

**Blackwidow12**: I think it fit really well into what I had planned on writing I'm glad that it won. I still like the others but it just fit so nicely.

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Kel had been wondering aimlessly through the palace for hours. It had taken her some time to slip out of her rooms but she had finally succeeded. Kel told her family about what happened in the chamber and what Enan had told her about the week she went missing. She held back the part about Joren though; she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

The lunch bell had wrung about an hour before but she didn't feel like eating or being around so many people. Soon after the lunch bell she had found a long forgotten garden surrounded by high hedges. It was just of off a dirt path that was on the outskirts of the royal gardens.

Kel inspected the hedges and saw that the garden had once been cared for meticulously. The tall hedges had been trimmed in a circular shape with only one opening cut into them. Within the small garden chipped marble benches were placed around the inside of the hedges all the way around. An overgrown cobblestone footpath was placed in front of the benches. Grass and weeds sprouted between the stones uprooting some of them and completely covering others with thick green moss. In the very center of the garden was a single rose bush.

Kel stepped in closer to inspect the roses. Her soft leather boots crunched on the dead grass and leaves and she noticed how brilliant the rose colors were compared with the rest of the dead things in the garden, they were the only things that thrived. Kel lifted one of the thriving roses and reveled in the brilliance of the colors. The roses started out with pink tips which gradually became yellower towards the middle. There were about fifteen roses on the bush and each one looked exactly alike and were about the size of her fist. Kel leaned in to sniff the roses and hit her foot on something hard on the ground before the bush.

Kel bent down and noticed that there was a marble ring around the base of the bush and that she had kicked a two foot piece that was raised up higher than the rest. Moss had grown over it also and in order to read what was written on it she had to use her belt knife to scratch off the moss.

Only one word was chiseled into the marble and Kel read it out loud. "Thom?" She didn't recognize the name so she got up from her knees and went to sit on one of the benches. She had been sitting there for some time when she heard the crunch of dead leaves at the small gardens entrance. Kel looked up and saw Alanna standing there looking at the rose bush. She seemed reluctant to come into the garden but finally entered.

"The last time I was here was three years ago." The shorter women said coming over to sit next to Kel on the bench. "I used to come here every day I was at the palace but things have changed so much over the years." They sat in companionable silence enjoying the garden. "George made this garden for me the year after my brother died." Alanna said quietly.

Now I remember why that name sounded so familiar Kel thought remembering the stories she had heard concerning Thom of Treebond. She was trying to think of something to say that would break the silence when she remembered Faithful. "While I was in the umm, chamber," Kel said struggling for the words to describe the world she had been in. "I met an old friend of yours."

Alanna looked at her puzzled. "Who might that have been?" she asked.

"Faithful." Kel said noticing the smile that crossed Alanna's face. "He was with Enan, the god who rules over the chamber, as a representative of the council of gods. He gave me a message to tell you. He said that he was proud of you and that you made all the right choices even without his help."

Alanna let out a bark of laughter. "Yes that sounds like him." Alanna stayed quiet and didn't speak again as she was lost in her own memories and thoughts. Kel looked over at her and saw that the older women was holding back tears and could sense that she needed to be alone. Kel got up from the bench and silently left the miniature garden and continued down the dirt path. She passed a different small garden every few minutes and each one looked like Thom's or else had an actual grave stone inside of it. The farther along she walked the newer and more taken care off the gardens looked.

There was one garden in particular that drew Kel's attention and she didn't know why until she stepped into it. It was one of the last private gardens in the row. Its walls were square instead of circular like all of the others she had seen. The hedges were made of a waxy looking leaf that came to a point at the end as sharp as a needle that Kel had seen growing in the Islands often. Unlike the other gardens this one had a doorway made of stone. The stones were carved with Yamani blessings for the deceased person's safe voyage to the black god's realm as well as blessings to anyone who entered the doorway. When Kel walked through it she ran her fingers over the blessings and whispered them under her breath. The interior of the garden was set up similar to the others. Marble benches lines the insides of the walls and a stone path ran all the way around the garden in front of the benches. Kel noticed Yamani butterfly catchers scattered around the garden each designed to attract a different kind of butterfly. It was who was in the garden and what was in the inside of it that made Kel stop cold.

Neal sat on a small bench in front of a large flowerbed that was growing in the center of the garden. The flowerbed consisted of dozens of miniature red rose bushes and one single white rose bush at the head of it. Above that rose bush was a stone pillar with words written in Yamani on it. The garden held a sense of calmness in itself soothing Kel even as she thought she was going to fall to her knees. Her own grave was the last thing she was expecting to see today.

Neal seemed to sense someone standing at the entrance and he turned around angrily about to ask for whoever it was to leave. He stopped short when he saw Kel standing there starring white faced at what was supposed to be her grave. His anger gone he quickly got up and went to her. Neal put his arm around her shoulder and tried to steer her out of the garden but she broke away and walked farther in.

It had finally struck Kel that she was really supposed to be dead and what a shock it must have been to her family and friends to find out that she wasn't. They buried me and were trying to get over it, she thought, and then out of nowhere I show up, alive. They buried me, she repeated over and over again inside her mind. Neal guided her to a bench but Kel didn't take her eyes off of the stone at the head of her grave.

Finally she turned to Neal and threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." She kept repeating into his strong shoulder. Kels hysterical crying filled Neal's ears as he held her in his arms letting her get most of her crying over with. He didn't trust himself to speak just yet, not only that but he didn't know what to say. When Kel had quieted down some he pushed her away from him so that he could look into her eyes. They were filled with sorrow and regret, the tears had made the gold fade and what little hazel that was left stand out more. They almost look like they used to Neal thought.

"Kel you didn't do anything on purpose. You didn't know, none of it was your fault and you couldn't have done anything that would have made it any different." Neal said looking at the grave. "Your back now and that is all that matters to me and to anyone else that loves you. We don't blame you, we love you."

Kel leaned her head on his shoulder and wiped her eyes and nose with a handkerchief that she pulled from her pocket. "That doesn't mean that I can't be sorry that you had to go through everything you did. And that I can't be sorry that I wasn't there for you and that you weren't there for me. You missed me everyday and I didn't even remember you."

Kel put the handkerchief back inside of her pocket and felt a something else inside of it. When she pulled out her hand she held one of her Yamani waving cats. This one was white with green eyes and had small black butterflies painted on it. Kel set in on Neal's knee. He looked down and picked it up with the hand that wasn't around Kels shoulder.

"I brought that box with me everywhere I went." He said about the dented box that was in her room. "And I always had one of these inside of my pocket. When I would get nervous or scared I would look down and find that it was in my hand and I would calm down. They made me feel that you were always with me." Neal smiled at the cat then handed it back to Kel. "Guess I don't need it now though because I've found you."

Kel pushed it back at him. "Keep it. We can't be together all the time; I don't think Yuki would like that." She got up and walked over to examine the stone, Neal followed her.

"I doubt my cousin would either." He said in her ear as he walked past her to stand at the other side of the stone. Kel looked up at him in shock. How did he find out she thought. Neal chuckled at the look on her face and explained. "I saw you this morning."

"Oh." Kel said blushing. "He was just happy that I was fine that's all." She stammered.

Neal looked down as if building up courage to ask a question then just plowed through. "Why didn't you tell me?" he asked looking at her.

"It wasn't on purpose that I didn't tell you I just didn't know and then everything happened so fast." She struggled to explain it to him. "It's like the moment I realized I liked him as a friend was the moment I realized that I wanted to be with him forever. It's like everything just fell into place. With Dom it's different from anything I have ever felt."

"Just let me know when me and the boys have to beat some sense into him." Neal said smiling at her and the thought of beating his cousin up, with some help of course.

"So is there a coffin down there?" Kel asked trying to draw the conversation away from her and Dom.

"Yes." Neal answered.

"What's in it?" She asked in disbelief.

"We all put different things in there. Sir Miles wrote up a history of who you were, or are, your mother and father put in memories and things like that. The study group together put in something. The Stump put in a mettle that he got from the King for loyalty and courage. There are other things; I didn't see what everyone put in." Kel nodded her head. "What does the stone say?" Neal asked. "I can't read Yamani yet and I didn't think I could ask someone. I know it has your name and birth and death dates but what does the rest say?"

Kel leaned over the stone and traced every word with her finger as she read them out loud. "Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay for a while, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never, ever the same." Kel looked up at Neal. "It's an old Yamani goodbye saying." She told him.

"It's fitting." Neal looked around at the garden and stuffed his hands in his pockets before looking back at Kel. He couldn't help but notice that her eyes were once again gold and no longer looked like they used to. "Do you want to go, I'm getting hungry."

Kel smiled at him and thought some things never change. "Sure." She answered.

"Besides," Neal said as the exited the garden. "I wouldn't want to keep my cousin pining for you." Kel turned to Neal faking anger and shoved him into a bush that was growing at knee height along the path. She doubled over laughing when he stood up with dirt and grass clinging to his clothes.

"Kel!" Neal yelled indignantly throwing his hands up into the air. "Look at me!"

"I think it is an improvement." She commented dryly before running off. Neal lunged at her but missed and fell headfirst into a birdbath before he scrambled up again and tore after Kel.

Kel not being fully aware of how to get around the palace soon lost her way but could no longer hear Neal charging after her. She stopped in a corridor to gain her location and her breath. The hall looked well used but at the moment there was nobody about. Heavy wooden doors lined either side of the hall all the way down. Kel was just about to turn a corner when she felt two hands grab her waist. She reacted before she had even heard Neal say, "Ha got you now Miss Shang." Soon she found herself looking at Neal lying flat on the floor his feet having been swept out from under him and the air knocked out of his lungs. He lay their gasping like a fish out of the water as Kel tried to hold back a laugh.

"Sorry Neal but you just shouldn't sneak up on me like that." She said giving him a hand to get up with. He looked at it untrustingly but took it anyway and got to his feet. Kel backed up when she noticed the look in his eyes and turned to start running again. She turned the corner and collided with the chest of someone very large and fell down on her backside. She heard Neal come to a skidding stop behind her.

"Kel?" she heard someone ask. Kel looked up and saw who it was that she had run into. Raoul was standing in front of her smiling down at her his face contorted with held back laughter. Behind him stood about fifteen men in the uniform of the Kings Own one of which was Dom. "Kel?" Dom repeated leaning down to help her up.

"What are you doing down here?" Neal asked Dom.

"We were having a meeting. That _is_ what these rooms are used for. And what about you, what are you doing down here?" He asked taking in Neal's appearance.

"Just chasing your beloved around the palace trying to get back at her for pushing me into a birdbath." Neal said before even thinking about what had just come out of his mouth.

All the men turned to look at Dom who was holding Kel rather protectively in his arms still. When Kel noticed the silence she looked up and noticed the men looking at her. Kel blushed but didn't push Dom's hands away.

"What lies has he been telling you my lady that made you fall in love with him?" One of the men asked jokingly.

"Do not sully my name in my maiden's ears." Dom said indignantly covering Kels ears. Kel lifted his hands off of her ears and bowed to Raoul.

"If you don't require Domitans presence anymore I would like to go teach him some lessons in respect he won't soon be forgetting, at least not until his bruises have been healed." Kel asked Raoul in her best imitation of a court lady.

"Of course, just don't damage him to much, he's delicate." Raoul responded with a bow of his own. Kel bowed again to him and then the men.

"Come on Neal, I'll dunk you in a horse trough on the way." Kel said dragging both Neal and Dom by the arms after her.

"Now that is my kind of women." One of the men behind Raoul breathed. "Where can I find one like that?"

"I doubt you ever will." Raoul told him as he watched his second in command being dragged down the hall and disappear behind a corner.

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O.K. So I know this is kind of short but a lot happened and there was Fluff and Kel and Neal had a 'moment', Emotions galore. Anyway, I hope you liked it please hit that beautiful little button at the bottom lift hand corner of the screen and send me a loverly little review.


	26. Where the path may lead

A/N: I'm not going to do replies for reviews in this one I will do them with the thank yous in the next chapter make sure you read the next chapter because there will be a surprise and maybe some cake. …….Yah there will definitely be cake.

Oh, my extreme apologies for last two chapters I didn't check the spelling on any of the names before I posted because I forgot. I could have kicked myself. I think I got them all right this time I hope you enjoy. And don't forget to read the Thank You's. I'll have them up soon.

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Kel stood on the great curtain wall looking down on the patchwork of land surrounding the palace. She noticed to her delight that leaves were starting to turn from green to golds, reds, and browns. The smells that could only come from autumn her favorite season filled the air. Her mind went back to when she was a probationary page and had been too scarred to even look over the wall because of her fear of heights. Things sure have changed she thought wryly.

It had been a week since Kel had exited the chamber and since then her world had settled down some. Thanks to the talkative Kings Own news of her and Dom's relationship had spread and was the talk of the palace. She could deal with the people talking about her behind her back because she was used to it. When she was just The Shang Griffin she turned enough heads but now that she was the long lost 'Mindelan girl' people talked even more. Kel could handle it but she was slightly worried about Dom.

She could see it when they were together and they walked by a group of people who weren't even pretending to hide that they were gossiping about Kel and Dom. His shoulders would tense up and he would pull Kel in closer to him as if to protect her from their words. After spending a whole day together and pretending that they couldn't hear Kel could tell Dom needed to do something to get his mind off of it so she decided to show him how to joust. After they had been riding at the quintain for awhile she asked him if the people gossiping bothered him.

He looked thoughtful then replied "They do but I can learn to deal with it, as long as it is my name that they are connecting to yours and not somebody else's. You make it all worth it." Kel leaned over in her saddle and gave him a kiss on the cheek before taking her next run assured that Dom was fine.

After talking with her father Kel had decided to stay in Tortal until she was needed elsewhere. When she spoke to Gaven about it he decided to stay also and Kaven wouldn't hear anything about leaving. He told Kel and Gaven that he was learning spells and things about magic at the palace that he never would have learned at any University. Kel had noticed that he and Numair Salmalin could usually be found together talking animatedly paying no attention to their surroundings. Kel was worried about them walking off of a cliff and not even noticing it until she saw a small dragon following them everywhere ready to give Daine a warning if Numair did something stupid. When Kel asked Kaven about the dragon he told her that the dragons name was Skysong and that she loved rocks but had never seen a rock from the Yamani Islands. Kel put some of the small rocks that she used to hold down maps in her pockets to give to the dragon if they ever met.

Kel thought back over the last few months and how they had changed her life from anything that she had ever thought it may have been. She had always dreamed of helping people and she knew that would never change, she just had more of an opportunity to help different people. Now that she had 'found' her family Kel knew that she would never be able to travel for years at a time like she had wanted, she would miss them to much. And for all her work with training the Shang children the thought that she might have a child in the future had never crossed her mind. Kel had never put that much thought into relationships before, if it happened it happened, but she would never push it. But with Dom it was different; she had never counted on someone like Dom.

Love had totally taken her by surprise. Kel smiled at the thought then looked around timidly to see if anyone was watching her. Guards were walking along the wall but except for the curious nod they paid her little attention. Kel turned back to the view before her and her eyes caught an eagle flying in the sky. Kel closed her eyes and imagined opening her arms and jumping from the wall to be caught on the wind. She could almost feel the bitter cold air and the feeling of freedom filled her veins. The wind whipped her hair across her face and woke her up from the day dream. Kel caught the faintest hint of fresh hay on the wind. The scent reminded her of Tobe, whose ability with horses had convinced Kel that he had wild magic, and that she wanted to visit the Wild Mage to ask her if she could help him.

Kel sighed pulling herself away from the view and feeling of freedom back to the real world. It was late in the afternoon and she wanted to find Tobe and bring him with her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Dom's distinct form sauntering over towards her. She didn't move but waited for him to come to her. He stood next to her and put his hand over hers which she had placed on the stone wall. She smiled to herself and asked, "How did you find me?"

Dom turned to look at her blank face, "Did you not want to be found?" he asked hurt. Kel picked up his hand and moved it around her shoulder then turned into him.

"No it's not that I was just wondering." She said.

Dom leaned his head down and gave her a small kiss on the forehead. "A little birdie told me." He said pointing to the row on sparrows that were sitting on the wall looking at them.

Kel turned towards the sparrows scrutinizing them one at a time till she picked out one who she knew was particularly devoted to Dom. It was new to the flock since Neal had taken over for her. The bird was a male Neal had named puddle because of his love to bath in even the muddiest of puddles. "Traitor," She said to the sparrow jokingly. The bird peeped then flew to Dom's shoulder to scold Kel some more. Kel lifted up a finger for the bird to hop on then pet Puddle with another. "I was just joking." She told him. Puddle peeped his forgiveness then flew off with the other sparrows trailing behind him. Kel and Dom both watched them fly off.

"I have to go find Tobe and then we are going to visit Daine. Would you like to come?" She asked Dom.

"Why not," Dom took her hand and they started to walk towards the stairs. "I believe Tobe may still be with my Meathead cousins' fiancé." Yuki had been teaching him how to read and write and Tobe was stuck by her side when he wasn't spying on Kel to make sure she wouldn't leave without him. "You know you are lucky that you are worth all the lectures that I have gotten this week. I wouldn't take that kind of intimidation for just any women." Dom said sarcastically.

Kel turned to him. "Gaven didn't…" she started to say but Dom cut her off.

"Gaven wasn't any worse than your father, Kaven, or Neal and Yuki. I think the worst was Raoul." Dom said shuddering.

"Raoul?" Kel asked confused. She had struck up a friendship Raoul on the way to Corus and she had spent time together this past week jousting and just talking with him and Alanna. She smiled to herself wondering whether or not she should say anything to him or not. He would just deny it she thought. "What did he say?" she asked Dom innocently.

"Nothing I shall repeat for your maiden's ears." Dom said teasingly. Kel laughed at him and bumped him with her shoulder so that he nearly tripped over his own feet. Laughing they went to find Tobe then bring him to the Wild Mage.

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After trying several places Kel, Dom, and Tobe finally caught up with Daine outside of the Riders stables. The whole way there Tobe wouldn't stop talking about how much he was learning and how kind Lady Yuki was. Soon Kel spotted Daine, leaving a pasture after a visit with Onua and her new horses. Skysong trailed behind her shuffling her feet through the grass looking for something interesting.

"Daine," Dom called to her when they were in earshot so she wouldn't turn the other way without seeing them. The sparrows who had been taken mercy on the humans and shown them where she was went from Kel's shoulder to fly around Daines. Kel watched as Daine greeted each one of them individually. When she was done Kel smiled at her.

"We are here on behalf of my servant Tobe." Kel said pushing the suddenly shy Tobe forward slightly but keeping a hand on his shoulder for comfort. "I believe that he has wild magic with horses and I wanted to know if there was anything I should do for him that would help him. I was hoping you wouldn't mind showing him some things."

Daine smiled down at Tobe then looked back at Kel. "Of course I wouldn't mind. He definitely has some wild magic but I won't be able to tell all he can do without testing it first." She looked back down at Tobe then spoke directly to him. "Do you want to learn?" she asked him seriously.

Tobe shook his head yes as seriously as he could. "Lady Yuki is teachin' me t' read and spell and Captain Dom says he's gonna' teach me t' fight. I can learn to talk to horses better at the same time."

"Very ambitious," Daine told him. "As far as I know I am free for the rest of this week so why don't we meet here at the ninth bell every morning?" She asked him. Tobe nodded his head so vigorously Kel was afraid it would fall off. "Good, I'll see you tomorrow morning then." She said to him.

Kel nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a clawed hand pat her pocket and Skysong shrill happily at her.

"Kit, what are you doing?" Daine scolded her.

"No, its fine Daine, she just found the rocks that I brought for her. They are from the Yamani Islands." Kel said as she pulled out five colorful rocks from her pocket and handed them to Kit. Kit chirped happily and looked at each rock inspecting them.

"It seems that you have made a new friend Kel." Daine said laughing.

"Are you going up to the palace Daine?" Kel asked her. "If you would like we will walk with you."

Daine shook her head no. "I'm actually headed to the kennels. There were several new litters of puppies born that I want to check on." She answered.

"Puppies!" Tobe said excitedly.

Daine nodded and laughed. "Would you like to come with me Tobe?" she asked him.

Tobe looked up at Kel who nodded yes while trying not to laugh at the prancing boy. "Go ahead." She told him.

Daine and Tobe walked away in the opposite direction of Dom and Kel followed closely by Kit. Kel could hear them talking excitedly about horses and smiled at a job well done. She could feel Dom looking at her intently as they walked back to the palace and turned to look at him suspiciously. "What's the matter?" she asked him.

"Nothing, it's just I don't think I have seen you smile as much as you have in the last few days." He said pulling her closer to him and giving her a small peck on the mouth.

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The next morning when Kel woke up she noticed that it was considerably colder than normal. This is what I get for wanting to stay in the Eastern lands she thought. As she was pulling on her boots she heard someone knock on her suit door. Kel finished getting ready trusting that Tobe would take care of whoever it was. Kel finished dressing and walked into her sitting room to find Gaven sitting on the couch. She noticed that like her he was in his training uniform and carried his weapons. Kel raised her eyebrows at him.

"I came to see if you would like to workout this morning." He asked.

"I was actually going to go ask you the same." She told him. She felt slightly guilty for not spending as much time with him these past few weeks as she did with her other friends. She gathered her weapons then followed him out the door. Just as she was about to shut it she turned back to Tobe. "Don't forget you told Daine you would see her this morning. Don't be late."

Tobe rolled his eyes, "Yes, mother." He answered.

Kel froze. "You have been spending entirely too much time with Neal." She told him smiling all the same.

Kel and Gaven walked in silence for most of the way until Kel couldn't stand it. She stopped walking and caught Gaven's arm to make him stop also. "Gaven I just wanted to tell you that I am sorry that I haven't spent as much time with you as I should have. I've been disrespectful." She said not meeting his eyes.

Gaven smiled at her. "Kel I understand. Don't worry about it. I have had you all to myself for the last seven years I think it is time I shared. Besides it seems like I will be seeing less of you now that you are with Captain Domitan." He looked at her and caught the hurt look on her face before she hid it away. "Kel, I was joking." He quickly said while mentally kicking himself. "I don't blame you for wanting to spend time with your family and other friends. Really I am happy for you." Kel could tell he meant it but she still felt guilty and vowed to make sure that she saw him every day. She nodded her head and continued walking.

When Kel stepped out onto the packed brown earth of the practice yards she couldn't help feeling at home as the memories flooded back. She was slightly perturbed that the training yards used by the pages and squires were the only ones empty but understood. All the other yards were full of members of the Kings Own trying to get in some last minute practice before they had to show off their skills for final promotions next week. Kel and Gaven were both looking forward to participating in that. Looking up at the sun Kel decided that they had about an hour before the pages would make an appearance as long as the routine hadn't changed from her page year.

She and Gaven launched into their practices and soon got lost in their own world. As far as they were concerned the only thing that mattered at the moment was what was happening inside of the small practice area they were using. After they were finished warming up they launched into a spar using every weapon available to them.

It was a close match and sometime during it Kel became aware of the distinctive clack of wood staffs hitting one another and a commanding voice calling out a rhythm. Gaven noticed it to and when he did he let it distract him. Despite his best efforts he began to make his moves based on the rhythm that the trainers were calling out. When he realized what he was doing he turned his head to look at the pages and Kel took advantage of it. She grabbed onto his arm pulling him towards her then swept his feet out from under him with the iron shod end of her glaive making him fall flat on his back. He hit the ground and a cloud of dust rose with him covering his sweaty tunic and arms. Kel placed her foot on his forehead instead of endangering him unnecessarily with her glaive at his throat. She watched his hands and body closely to see if he would try to get up or attack her trying to catch her off guard.

"I yield." He complained trying to catch his breath while laughing. "I don't know how you do it, every time, I always loose." Kel offered her hand to help him up then turned when she heard people clapping and reverent voices saying 'I can't wait till I can do that.'

The pages and some squires were standing in a group having at some point given up trying to pretend that they were practicing staff work. Kel picked out her cousins right away after meeting them for the first time since they were babies at the beginning of the week. Kel also noticed three other girls among the boys. She could hear the pages whispering her name to one another and whispering that she had once trained as a page. Kel also noticed the Shang Wildcat and the Shang Horse as well as Lord Wyldon and another man, whom Kel assumed was the new Training Master, standing behind the pages. The Shang Wildcat didn't bother to hide the wide smile that had broken across her face and the Shang Horse, whom Kel had always thought was the most unYamani like Yamani she had ever met, was laughing. Wyldon was starring at her intently and the new Training Master was clapping his hands. Kel and Gaven bowed deeply to them Yamani style showing her admiration and respect. They each bowed back in there own ways, Wyldon the courteous bow of a courtier, the Training Master a military salute, the Horse a Yamani bow, and the Wildcat a deep graceful tilt of her head.

"Alright no more gawping at the trained warriors back to work, High block low block on my count." Eda bellowed out. None of the pages moved all still mesmerized by the replica battle that had just taken place in front of them. Eda looked up at Kel and Gaven, "Thank you, now they won't be able to concentrate all day."

Wyldon walked around the pages and stopped next to Kel and Gaven. He stood there waiting till all eyes had gravitated from the Shang to him before he spoke. "The Shang Griffin and the Shang Raven are two of the best warriors you will ever see. They have been training to be warriors since they were infants; every muscle in their bodies is trained; including their brains." He paused to let the full weight of his words fall onto the pages shoulders. "They spend hours a day practicing, they learn the difference between right and wrong, they strive to bring peace and justice wherever they go, and everyone of you, me included, can look to them with deference and admiration and strive to be what they are. The only way that is going to happen is through hard work and perseverance against any obstacle that you may face and look to them as guides in your lives when you are having trouble and need to know what to do. I take great pride that I had a part even if it was diminutive in training The Shang Griffin. As you carry on with your training and life without me make me proud that had played a small role in your lives as well."

Kel looked at the faces of all the pages and thought of what she must look like to them. She could imagine standing where they are now watching herself. She was sure that she looked stoic with her emotionless face and strong stance. She remembered feeling just as awed as they looked when she first met Lord Raoul and had a pretty good idea of how they felt. She did her best to keep he face emotionless while Wyldon praised her and gave her compliments that she had never thought he possessed the words to make.

"Now get back to work." Wyldon bellowed. The pages flew into a flurry of activity getting into rows faster than Kel imagined possible and taking up the count Eda was calling out. The sound of Lord Wyldon's voice made Kel jump like no other voice ever could.

Kel, Gaven, and Wyldon left the practice area together. "My Lord why did you quit?" Kel asked suddenly before she could stop herself.

Wyldon looked at her out of the corner of his eye as if he couldn't believe she asked either but answered anyway. "It was time. I have been thinking about it for a while. Even if I wanted to before I felt that I couldn't until I had made up for the unfairness that I treated you with. I changed the ways that I dealt with some of the pages and encouraged girls to train but even that didn't help with my guilt. When I found out that you were still alive and what you had done I thought that I had finally found my chance. I quit right away so that I could help bring you home safe."

"What are you going to do now?" She asked slightly embarrassed.

"I'm leaving tomorrow for Cavall and I will stay there until my wife threatens to kill me then I will ask the King for an assignment." Wyldon answered. They had reached the palace and after a goodbye parted ways. Kel and Gaven headed towards the mess hall to find some breakfast and something to do for the rest of the day. That shouldn't be a problem Kel thought when she saw Dom.

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That evening Kel once again found herself on the top of the great curtain wall. This time instead of looking at the landscape she found herself looking at the stars. The sky was cloudless and the moon was only a small sliver in the sky. Kel picked out all of the constellations that she knew then just looked up at them. Her thoughts leaped from subject to subject until she decided to stop on one, what she was going to do next. She and Gaven were going to help Raoul with the promotions for the Kings Own next week but what after that. She could stay at the palace but the King had started to hand out new assignments and all of her friends had received them. The Kings Own and therefore Dom would be out again and Kel didn't think she could stay cooped up in the palace waiting for Dom to return. She planned on visiting Mindelan but not for the whole three months until Neal and Yuki's wedding. Who has a wedding in winter anyway she thought. Kel pulled her cloak closer around her arms and leaned against a battlement. Looking up at the stars she remembered something that one of her Shang instructors used to say 'Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.'

Kel thought of places she could visit that wouldn't shut her off from Corus when the snow came so that she wouldn't miss Neal's wedding. I wonder if the King would give me an assignment if I asked Kel thought for a moment then dismissed the idea. I don't want to get tied down she told herself. I wish I could travel from place to place that needs help and come back to Corus in between like the Own she thought. I could ask Raoul if I could travel with him Kel suddenly realized. I'd have to go under Raoul's command and stay with him so I don't put Dom into an awkward situation but I will still be able to see him when the groups meet up again and I would definitely make it back to the palace by winter and maybe even visit Mindelan she thought excitedly making the plan up in her mind. Kel quickly turned and ran down the walkway then down the closest stairs to find Raoul to ask his permission.

The next morning when Kel told Dom that she and Gaven were going to be traveling with the Own he was so happy that he wouldn't have to not see her for three months that he caught her up into a passionate kiss right in line in the mess hall. Kel gave into the kiss ignoring the hooting and calls from the whole room and thought if this is how he treats me when I have only been away for a night what will it be like when we haven't seen each other for weeks. Kel smiled into Dom's lips and pulled him out of the mess leaving their trays and the noise as the only evidence that they were ever their.

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IMPORTANT A/N: There will be another chapter but it will only be Thank You's and information about what I am going to do next. Just to let you know……This story is not over! There will be a sequel. BTW that quote was from Ralph Waldo Emerson.


	27. THANK YOUS

A short teenage girl walked out from behind a large red curtain and is almost blinded by the lights that are following her progress to the wooden podium. She pushed her wire rimmed glasses up farther on her small nose. Her Shoulder length brown hair was curled and pinned at the back of her head. The name tag that is pinned to her blue dress reads Alexiam87 but everyone in the room knows her as the author of What You Let Go. Streamers shot out of cannons placed all along the front of the stage into the audience. She reaches the podium and pulls out a stack of cue cards letting her green eyes scan over the words. She looks out at the audience of people who have come to celebrate the end of her online story and to hear the great surprise she has promised them.

In the front row she sees her honored guests, her brother, her boyfriend, and all of the characters from her story. When the clapping silences she clears her throat and begins.

"First off let me start by saying Wow. Among the many things that I have wanted to do in my life being an author was something that I dreamed of but didn't really think possible. Not for lack of skill I just know how hard it is to get your idea's and stories out there to publishers. The wonderful reviews that I have gotten for this story and even the others that I received for my shorter stories amazed me.

"The constructive criticism and ideas that came from all of you really inspired me. I never thought that I would be able to write a story like this and your reviews got me through some rough things that I have been going through before and during my writing of this story. I loved checking my email and seeing the reviews and encouragement that you all gave me. And whenever I was extremely sad I would reread them and more than one time they made me laugh hysterically. Last time I checked I had 230 reviews so that is a lot of laughing.

"Your faith in me helped me break through my writers block for my personal novel and I started writing more on that. Which in turn inspired me for some paintings and I painted what I hope will be the cover for my book when it is finished.

"I've officially dropped the one major that I was working on at University and have started on my new major Anthropology. Because of that I will be extremely busy making up for the classes I took that I didn't need but I promised you a sequel.

"Thank You all for putting up with my horrible spelling and the infamous cliffhangers. I did my best not to have any timeline or misplaced character errors but I know I didn't succeed in that. I _may_ go back and redo the first few chapters because after rereading them I realized just how bad they were. I feel that my writing skills have developed immensely while writing this story and frankly I am a little embarrassed by the writing skill of my first few chapters.

"Thank You to Gateway Computers for finally getting my new laptop to me. I love it, and to the Apple company for inventing the Ipod because this story never would have gotten done if I couldn't block out the idiots who come to my flat all the time.

"Thank You to Brogan of course and to my boyfriend who now officially thinks I'm bonkers because I will all of the sudden grab napkins and paper from his hand to write story ideas on. (He finally got the idea and got me a notebook)" She said whipping it out and waving it to the crowd.

"Thank You to Tamora Pierce for creating the characters and allowing us to twist them in our own scary yet creative ways, and for keeping the world of Tortal alive by making new stories about it that she said she didn't even think she had in her.

"And last but never least my reviewers, as I said before if I had gotten five chapters in and only had ten reviews I never would have had the courage to continue." She paused flipping through her cards until she found the ones she was looking for.

"**Now here is the surprise.** I am not only going to be working on a sequel but I will also start a new story. As a result of that my plan is to alternate between updating for one story each time.

"The sequel to What You Let Go will be about the three months between the last chapter and Neal and Yuki's wedding. It won't be very long I'm thinking ten chapters at the most. It will also focus on Kel's griffin abilities per request from several reviewers so that should be fun. And of course some Kel and Dom fluff." Alexia winks at Dom and Kel in the front row who when they notice the lack of noise came up from their all out make out session. The crowd lets out cat calls and Alexia notices a few of the girls even pouting wishing that they were Kel.

"Just a few comments on the reviews that I didn't answer in the last chapter and some of the new ones… **SarahE7191**… Ah Joren, he has given me a lot of trouble trying to get me to force him into my story when it wasn't his time yet. So much trouble that I had to lock him in my spare closet, he kicks and makes noise every once in awhile but I think the rats made him stop. Anyway, I'm not sure if Joren was just a cameo or if I will let him out again. He can't come back to life that's for sure but I'll have to decide what to do with him. I'll sell him if your interested just name the price and I'll let you know because I really need the closet. Oh, and I was so embarrassed about the cousin thing. Niece and Nephew is what I meant to put but Joren was being particularly distracting that day so my mind slipped.

"**Mrs. Dom Masbolle**… I completely agree with you about the whole magic thing. I need to use it more and maybe develop it more. I never really had her do much except for the anger thing. Until I read your review I was going to stop and not do a sequel but thanks to you I am. I'm still sticking to the guidelines that I outlined previously but I should be able to make something interesting up to do with her gift. It's too bad she can't be a spy.

"Thank you so much to the people who reviewed for every chapter and always right away. You kept me on my toes but I appreciated it.

"Because I love all of you so much I am going to give you a little bit of the plot for my next new story. I don't know what it is going to be called yet but here is what it is going to be about. Please don't steal my idea because I will come after you if you do…." She motioned to stage left and a spot light appeared on a small pink bunny statue. "If you remember I told you all I was working on an ultimate revenge machine and this is it. Don't make me use Mr. Fluffness." She smiled then paused to let her words sink in. When she thought that the full effect of what she said was felt she lifted her hand and snapped her fingers. The lights dimmed on the stage and a movie announcer's voice came from the speakers.

**It is set about a year after Lady Knight, and the King and Queen are changing more laws and dolling out new land. New Hope has become a prosperous city and has expanded well beyond its original borders. As a thank you to Kel the King and Queen have named New Hope a fief and have given it and the lands to her, so she is now the Baroness of the Fief New Hope. As a special thanks to the Kings Own who helped her, the King and Queen are abolishing the no marrying law. Dom goes as quickly as he can to New Hope to whisk Kel off of her feet. Now here is the twist. Dom's not the only one in the Own who is in love with Kel and he didn't get there first… Will he be able to overcome the competition, or will he give up? Plot twists and dangers will be added in to spice up the humdrum of yet another Kel/Dom story. **

When the voice was finished the lighting went back to normal. "So, do you like it? Now remember this is tentative so things may and probably will change since I haven't even written the first word of it yet."

The audience nodded and erupted in a thunder of applause. AlexiaM87 smiled and snapped her fingers again. The podium disappeared and turned into a giant cake that looked exactly like Domitan of Masbolle only with one exception, the only thing he was wearing was his loincloth. Alexia turned to Kel and asked, "So does it look right?" Kel came up to the stage and nodded still inspecting the cake. "I told you there would be cake." Alexia said to the crowd. "Now dig in."

Alexia didn't think that she had ever seen a cake disappear that fast and when she looked around for the inspiration for the cake she couldn't find him or his girlfriend. "Figures." She muttered before walking away to find her own. (Cake not boyfriend) (Just kidding, both and maybe some chocolate) "Mr. Fluffness you are in charge." She called over her shoulder.

P.S. That is what I really look like.


End file.
